The Kerala High Court has directed the police to provide protection to the vicars of the Orthodox faction of the Malankara Church to enter and perform religious services in six churches, their cemeteries and chapels under the control of the Jacobite faction. The court has ordered that protection be also given to the parishioners participating in religious services from obstruction from the members of the Jacobite faction.
Separate orders have been passed on petitions filed by the vicars, assistant vicars or trustees of St. Thomas Bethel Orthodox Church, Karikode, Kottayam; St. Mary’s Orthodox Church (Odakkali Palli), Odakkali, Ernakulam; St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Mazhuvannoor, Kottayam; St. Stephen’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Mukhathala, Kollam; St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Kakkoor, Ernakulam; St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Poothrikka, Thodupuzha, seeking police protection to conduct religious service at these churches.
The court observed that the churches were constituent parish churches of the Malankara Church and the judgment of the Supreme Court in the K.S. Varghese case was applicable to them and their properties as well. The apex court had specifically directed that all the parish churches of the Malankara Church be governed by the directions and the decree of the apex court.
Govt. stance
The State government submitted that earnest steps were being taken to resolve the disputes between the factions and hence the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict was getting delayed. The assistance as sought by the petitioners might lead to breach of peace.
According to the Orthodox faction vicars, the Jacobite members were physically preventing them from enjoying the benefits of the verdict of the Supreme Court in the K.S. Varghese case by sitting inside the churches after locking the gates. As the petitioners were the lawfully appointed vicars as per the 1934 constitution upheld by the Supreme Court, they were entitled to discharge their duties. The police were duty-bound to afford adequate assistance to see that the directions of the apex court are complied with.
