The war of words between Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and the Catholic Syrian Church has worsened, with the church asking christians to keep away from the party.
The church and CPI(M) have been on a collision course over differences on issues in the education sector
KOZHIKODE: The war of words between Kerala’s ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Catholic Syrian Church has worsened, with the church asking christians to keep away from the party.
The appeal to the believers has been made in eight-page tabloid-sized newsletter brought out on Sunday. The tabloid, ‘Malabar Vision’, brought out jointly by the dioceses of Thalassery, Thamarasseri and Mananthavadi, was distributed after the Holy Mass in all the churches under these dioceses.
The church and the CPI(M) have been on a collision course over differences on issues in the education sector. The church, which has a major stake in education in the state, has been opposing the CPI(M)-led government’s policy on self-financing colleges and the proposed reforms in school education.
The vicar general of Thamarasseri diocese, Thomas Nagapparambil, said the newsletter was brought out to address topics related to religious beliefs. “The church has not decided on the periodicity of ‘Malabar Vision’. It will be brought out when the church feels the need,” father Thomas said.
“The newsletter was not brought out to answer the CPI(M) campaign alone. It commented on this issue because the topic is live now. In the next edition it will be covering some other topic of interest,” he said.
The ‘Malabar Vision’, which devotes almost all pages to attack the CPI(M) and its state secretary Pinaryi Vijayan, exhorts the believers not to associate with the party any more. It also seeks to keep alive Vijayan’s controversial remark in October against the bishop of Thamarasseri.
At a meeting to observe the death anniversary of former legislator Mathai Chacko, Vijayan referred to the Bishop of Thamarasseri, without naming him, as a “despicable creature”. What provoked the CPI-M state secretary was a comment by the bishop critical of Vijayan.
The north Malabar area, which comes under the three dioceses, has around 1.5 million Catholics. Most strongholds of the CPI-M in Kerala are also located in this region.
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