Bishop Thomas Oommen, deputy moderator of the Church of South India and Bishop of the Madhya Kerala Diocese, has stressed the need to ensure that the modalities of democratic agitations are correct.
Speaking to media persons who met him on Thursday, Bishop Oommen said he was not against protests or agitations or expressing one’s freedom. “All the students in the college have their freedom. We cannot allow anyone to impose their will only on the basis of their might. Problems arise when we create issues on the basis of might. My opposition is only to the method they adopted to express their protest. What you eat is your personal choice,” he said when asked about the incidents over Beef Festival at CMS College, the flagship higher education institution of the Church.
Presence of campus politics alone will not solve the problems, according to him. “The important thing is how it was practiced; whether it creates political awareness among the youth,” he said. He felt today’s youth were not societal minded but more self-centred as they had a relatively cushioned life. “The youth are more competitive and are more focused on individual enrichment. The bishop felt that the core issue facing society was the effects of the market culture, the market-oriented lifestyle. However, such issues are not being discussed. “Instead discussions are centered on the marginal issues,” he pointed out.
Coming down heavily on the increasing presence of religions in the realm of politics, Bishop Oommen said religious leaders should restrain themselves into their basic responsibility of making the humans more humane.
Referring to the new developments in Kerala politics, the bishop said it was improper to allocate seats on communal lines. “Those who know the pulse of the people of a particular ward should get elected in the coming local bodies elections,” he said.
What you eat is your personal choice, says Bishop of Madhya Kerala Diocese
