PM meets Kerala-based Church groups over century-old dispute

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Church groups  have  welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts in initiating discussions to resolve the dispute between two warring factions of the Malankara church over possession of around 1000 odd churches and their properties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held discussions with representatives of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in New Delhi in an attempt to resolve the century-old dispute between two Kerala based Syrian church groups.He met three senior priests of the church at his office, a day after discussions with representatives of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

The two church groups issued separate statements Tuesday, hailing their meeting with PM Modi as "cordial and fruitful". The Jacobite faction said their delegates drew the attention of PM Modi to the "denial of religious freedom, freedom of worship and justice that the Jacobite Syrian Church is undergoing" and sought his intervention to end the dispute. The Church said their delegation appealed to PM Modi to "intervene to protect" their "constitutional and fundamental rights".

In its statement, they described the Orthodox faction as a "dissident group" who separated from them and were "creating issues by misusing" a 2017 top court order in a church dispute case."The faithful of the Jacobite Church are evicted from their churches and even denied burial rights in their cemeteries," they said. It said that disputes, especially related to faith, cannot be resolved through endless litigation and there should be other means to find solutions to the issues.

The Orthodox faction said a key factor presented before the PM was the July 3 2017 Supreme Court decision, which determined that there should be a united church, based on the 1934 constitution of the Malankara Orthodox Church. As a public trust, there could not be a division or separation of churches within the church, it said in a statement. The Orthodox faction said the prime minister gave a patient hearing to various issues, and while aware of the ancient origins of the Malankara Orthodox Church, expressed hope that a reconciliation formula should be worked out on the basis of the Supreme Court judgement. Hw also expressed his sincere commitment to ensure that there is a larger peace and brotherhood among the faithful, the Orthodox faction said.

While the Orthodox faction stuck to their demand that the 2017 Supreme Court order must be implemented, the Jacobite faction alleged that the other group was "misinterpreting" the order and "taking over" their churches unethically. The protests by both the groups have often resulted in law order issues in several parishes in the state.

While talking to reporters in Thrissur, Vijayan said that  the Prime Minister's decision to intervene and find a solution to the vexed issue is welcome.. "I do not think there is any politics involved in the PM's intervention",Vijayan said. Following their separate meetings with the PM over two days, representatives of the two groups met at Mizoram Bhawan in New Delhi for the lunch hosted by Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai, who arranged their meetings with PM Modi.