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Church heading for showdown with CPI-M

The Communist Party of India-Marxist and the church in Kerala appear to be fast heading for a showdown over the recent assault of a college principal by a group of students affiliated to the ruling Marxist party, with the archdiocese of Thalassery demanding a judicial probe into the incident and the party's Kannur unit vehemently opposing it.

The conciliatory talks initiated by Kerala Education Minister P J Joseph have failed to yield any result as both the sides stuck to their respective stands. The church is planning to intensify the agitation in the coming days to press its demand.

The Left Democratic Front government has been put on the defensive as the Kerala Private College Managements' Association, which controls 192 private colleges in the state, threatened to close down its institutions from November 19 if the government failed to order a judicial inquiry into the incident.

It all started on November 1, the formation day of the state, when a group of activists of the Students Federation of India and their supporters assaulted Father Geo Pulichal, principal of the Nirmalagiri College at Koothuparamba in Kannur district. The assault, which allegedly took place in front of policemen, was in protest against the disciplinary action taken by the college authorities against an SFI activist.

The opposition Congress wasted no time in reacting, portraying it as the latest proof of ''Marxist-sponsored violence''. Several leaders of the United Democratic Front also extended support to the church.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which had always been at the receiving end for the atrocities meted out to the minority community members elsewhere in the country, was sharp in its reaction. The party said the Koothuparamba incident had exposed the claim of the CPI-M leaders that they are the protectors of the minorities in the country.

The CPI-M district leadership came out in support of the SFI activists and demanded action against the college authorities for allegedly sexually abusing a student.

LDF convener V S Achuthanandan, while denying the involvement of outsiders in the attack, said one should also see the 'atrocities' being meted out to a student by the college authorities.

The SFI got a shot in the arm when they managed to present before the press the mother of N Ajit, who was expelled from the college three months ago, to narrate what she described as the sexual abuse which her son had to undergo at the college.

The pastoral council of the archdiocese, the highest body of the clergy and laity representing institutions and organisations in the diocese, alleged that the CPI-M was engaged in a smear campaign against the church and Christian priests.

Thalassery Archbishop Mar George Valiyamattam said the Christian community was prepared to sacrifice everything to maintain its dignity and fight the attempts to denigrate it.

The pastoral council, which reportedly has the support of all the Christian churches in the state, would organise a rights protection rally on November 19. It would also hold public meetings at 150 centres under the archdiocese to mobilise public support.

The archdiocese authorities said leaders of various political parties were invited for the rally.

The Private College Managements' Association was rather stern in its demand. The association said it would resist at any cost the efforts being made to undermine the college authorities' right to take disciplinary action against erring students. Unless the government intervened it would be difficult for private colleges to function in the state.

Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar, meanwhile, expressed the hope that a situation would be created soon for the reopening of the Nirmalagiri College. In a reply to a letter from the Bishop of Thalassery Dr Varghese Chackalackal, he said he and his government were committed to respect religious leaders and wanted harmony among all sections.

Referring to the conciliatory efforts being made by Education Minister P J Joseph, he said he hoped that the efforts would fructify soon.

Nayanar's reply, however, was silent on the main demand of the church -- a judicial probe into the Nirmalagiri incident.

UNI

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