The Madya Virudha Samithi of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) under the Thamarassery and Calicut dioceses on Friday staged a ‘Nilpu Samaram’ (standing protest) on the Vaikom Mohammed Basheer road here by covering their mouth with black cloth to register protest against the changes in liquor policy.
The protesters, including priests, nuns and laymen from both the dioceses, said they came up with the open protest with the consent of the KCBC heads and top authorities of the dioceses.
They also displayed banners and posters flaying the “pro-liquor” policy of the government which according to them would corrupt the younger generation.
Dany Joseph, Director, Madya Virudha Samithi, Calicut Diocese; who led the protest said the statement made by Cultural Affairs Minister K.C. Joseph justifying the liquor policy of the government was mean and it directly questioned the stance of the church on the issue. He said that Mr. Joseph had been making anti-church statements for a long time.
Referring to an allegation that the protestors had not been given the right to take up open protest on the issue, Fr. Joseph said it was totally baseless and they had all the blessings of superior leaders to continue with an indefinite stir in all possible locations. He made it clear that the KCBC had no external pressure or influence to withdraw from such protests.
Sr. Maurilla, animator of the Samithi, alleged that the liquor policy of the government was meant to create only a young generation of drunkards. She made it clear that the Samithi would go ahead with the agitation in the coming days with the cooperation of other dioceses. The protest lasted for nearly three hours along the road drawing huge public attention.
Antony Jacob Chavara, State secretary of the Samithi, said ‘Nilpu Samaram’ would be organised in other parts of the State too for winning the attention of the government on the issue.
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