THOOTHUKUDI: 15 persons attached to CSI Thoothukudi Nazareth diocese were arrested for blocking roads in front of diocesan offices at Caldwell school. The members protested the third phase of election for pastorate council.
The first phase of diocesan election for lay representatives was conducted on August 16. The polling for the teachers and workers’ representatives was conducted on August 21 for the pastorate councils while leaving out the election for Nazareth pastorate. The Bishop Devasahayam’s intention to conduct the polls for the third phase of election for electing the pastorate’s secretary, treasurer, sub-committee, and representatives of institutions on August 28, while keeping the teachers and workers’ representatives election in Nazareth council at bay triggered some people.
The Eral tasildar Esakki Raj on Saturday stopped the Bishops’ illegal move to conduct the election skipping a phase for Nazareth council citing possible law and order problem. “However, the office bearers organised the polling for Nazareth council at the Bishop office in Caldwell school campus, against the constitution of CSI,” said a former lay secretary.
The Nazareth council comprising 13 educational institutions would be tough for the incumbent SDK Rajan led faction, said another office bearer, so the only way was to skip teachers’ election to retain the powers in the diocese, he added.