The All Kerala Church Act Action Council, a collective of believers from various denominations, organised a mammoth march to the Secretariat on Wednesday demanding that the State government implement the Kerala Church Properties and Institutions Trust Bill, proposed by the State Law Reforms Commission chaired by former Supreme Court judge V.R. Krishna Iyer in 2009. Representatives of the council later met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to discuss their demands.
Inaugurating the ‘Church Act Crusade,’ Sister Lucy Kalapura, who was dismissed from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation for participating in a protest against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, said the implementation of the Act would put an end to the ongoing corruption and oppression under various Church denominations.
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“The churches which were built up on the hard work and sweat of the common devotee are under the control of the heads of various denominations, while the rest of us continue to remain as slaves.
They indulge in avarice and sexual exploitation, and have destroyed spirituality with their lust for power and money. This anti-Christian behaviour is now being questioned by a united brotherhood of believers, using the Church Act as a tool. This is a new dawn, which will deliver us from slavery to freedom. I hope the LDF government under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will implement this Act,” Sr. Lucy said.
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Academician and former member of the National Commission for Minorities Valson Thampu said the Church heads have been indulging in scaremongering about the Church Act by spreading misinformation among the believers.
“It is not clear whether they have even read the Bill. It spells out that it does not intend to interfere in the beliefs or take control of the church properties. Churches are now private properties of the bishops. The Church Act will ensure that it will belong to all the believers. No one will have to go through the experiences that Sr. Lucy had to endure once the Act is implemented,” he said.
Social activist Swami Agnivesh said Kerala has yet again shown a way to the whole world on how common believers can liberate themselves from the yoke of the dominating, persecuting priestly class.
“Hindus also need to be liberated similarly. I will soon organise a massive march of the Hindus to free ourselves from fascistic forces who are hijacking the real message of Hinduism,” he said.