KOCHI: The Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council (KRLCC) has expressed anguish over what it termed the state and central governments’ neglect of the rights and requirements of the community. “We displeased with the manner in which the state government has handled various issues related to the community,” Bishop Varghese Chakalackal, president of the KRLCC, said.
Cases registered against bishops, priests and community leaders against the backdrop of the Vizhinjam agitation are yet to be dropped, he said. “The fisheries policies of the central and state governments, regulations introduced in the fisheries sector, the Centre’s ‘Blue Economy Policy’, coastal and offshore construction, sand mining, the Sagar Mala project and the lackadaisical attitude towards coastal conservation all have made the lives of the fishing community miserable,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, he demanded the immediate implementation of the Justice J B Koshy commission report. “It’s been quite some time since the Justice Koshy report was submitted to the state government. The commission has made many important suggestions concerning the Latin community. We believe that once the report is implemented the community will be greatly benefitted,” the bishop said.
KRLCC is critical of how the forward community was getting all the opportunities while the backward community was being continuously forced back. “The prime minister and the chief minister shouldn’t be partial to just a few. Once they occupy that chair, they have to work for the betterment of every citizen of the country,” Varghese Chakalackal, who is also bishop of Kozhikode diocese, said.
He also called for extension of the sea wall at Chellanam. “The process of installing survey stones for the coastal highway project even before readying the detailed project report is making those living along the coast very anxious,” he added.
‘Church leaders raised attacks on Christians’
On a question on the alleged double standard of the BJP when it comes to handling of attacks on Christians, Bishop Varghese Chakalackal said, “There might be reasons to why while BJP is trying to win over Christians in the state, it is failing to protect community members in many other parts of the country.” Church leaders, not just from the Latin Church but also other churches, have time and again raised the issue with the PM, he said.
“He has always assured us of steps to reach a solution.” On the Latin Church’s political stance ahead of the Lok Sabha election, he said, “We are issue-based, value-based and believe in keeping equal distance from all political parties.”