The Kerala High Court (HC) on Wednesday slammed the State government for not complying with its directives to hand over St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian church, Cherukunnam and St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian church, Mangalam Dam Post, Palakkad, and St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Erickinchira, to Orthodox faction vicars.
Justice Devan Ramachandran, while dealing with contempt of court petitions, observed that the government should allow the police to act. Why is the chief secretary intervening in the matter?” asked the court.
When the petition came up for hearing, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) submitted that all attempts to implement the court order had failed because the members of the rival faction, including women, children, and aged people, were creating serious law and order issues.
The Jacobite faction had a huge number of faithful and they strongly opposed any action being taken by the district administration. However, he added that an attempt would further be made to implement the judgment.
The court also cautioned the authorities, including the police, that excessive force or any action which is unnecessary and disproportionate would not be tolerated by the court. They were expected to act within the confines of law thus ensuring that the directions had implicitly compiled. The court asked the AAG to file a report in this regard in two weeks.
The court also observed that it was time for the Orthodox and Jacobite factions to end the disputes over the churches in terms of the Supreme Court ruling. If members of both factions believe in the rule of law and Jesus Christ, they should not fight over it. The Supreme Court ruling in the K.S. Varghese case should have given a quietus to everything, but nothing has happened. It has become far worse.
Counsel for the Jacobite faction submitted that it did not intend to cause any obstruction to the implementation of the High Court directives.
