Members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church laid siege to the office of Minister for Revenue Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan here on Saturday.
(The protest is part of the ongoing standoff over the ownership of the St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church at Kolencherry between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church).
The members flayed the alleged reluctance on part of the State government to hand over the administration of the church to the Orthodox Church as per a recent court order.
Nearly a 1,000 members of the Church from its Kottayam, Kottayam Central, Chengannur, Niranam, Nilackal, Mavelikara, Idukki, and Thumpamon dioceses took part in a rally which started from the premises of the Mar Elia Cathedral.
Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Chrysostomos of the Niranam diocese said the Church expected the government to ensure justice by implementing the court order.
“An administration that upholds the principles of Mahatma Gandhi should not support any attempts that are meant to delay justice. The Chief Minister should lead the ideal path by guarding himself from the pressure exerted by various sections,” he said.
Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Julius of the Ahmedabad diocese also spoke on the occasion. Metropolitan Paulose Mar Pachomios of the Mavelikara diocese held discussions with the Minister.
The office-bearers of the St. George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally, belonging to the Orthodox Church said they would lay siege to the Chief Minister's ancestral home at Puthuppally on Sunday.
