Even as the impasse over the St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral in Piravom continues, the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church has attributed the delay in executing the Supreme court’s order to `unwarranted political interventions’.
In an apparent bid to mount pressure on the State government, the functionaries of the Church told the media here on Thursday that a section of officers in the Kerala Police were acting hand in glove with the Jacobite faction in delaying the imminent takeover.
“We have also come to learn that even the suicide bid staged by a couple of Jacobite members the other day was part of a conspiracy between a Deputy Police Superintendent and leaders of the Jacobite faction,’’ said Thomas Mar Athanasius, Metropolitan, Diocese of Kandanad East.
Pointing out that a few district-level leaders of the CPI(M) had attended a meeting convened by the Jacobite faction to condemn the Supreme Court verdict, he also said that it was unfortunate that the government, which is supposed to implement the court order, was standing by the other side.
Speaking on the occasion, Mathews Mar Severios, Metropolitan of the Diocese of Kandanad West, said the police had effectively implemented the court order in at least seven churches prior to Piravom.
“But in this case they seem to be having some other ideas, claiming that the sentiments of a section of believers would be hurt. Instead of securing the church, the police facilitated the violent protests by allowing people inside,” he pointed out.
Attributing the recent violent episodes to an alleged extremist wing among the Jacobites, the Orthodox functionaries also held that they would now be forced to seek a legal recourse to implement the SC order in a time-bound manner.
Regarding the possibility of striking a consensus with the Jacobite faction, they held that any discussion towards reaching a consensus should begin from the opposition accepting the sanctity of the constitution of 1934 and the SC ruling on the control of the parishes under the Malankara Church.
