Archbishop asks faithful to observe protest day

Archbishop of Thrissur, Mar Andrews Thazhath, has called upon the faithful to observe Tuesday as a "protest day" against what he called "infringement" of minority rights by the Kerala government.

The plea was made in a 'pastoral letter' read out in the churches under the archdiocese of Thrissur on Sunday.

The proposed reforms of the LDF government in the field of education were meant to take over the healthcare and educational institutions being run by the church through "skewed" political tactics, the archbishop alleged.

Peaceful protests should be organised in all the churches on Tuesday, the martyrdom day of St Thomas, the letter said.

Resolutions should be passed by the different councils under every parish church against the "deprivations", he said.

The proposed reforms in the Kerala Educational Rules were meant for "eliminating faith in God."

Making Saturdays and Sundays weekdays should also be dispensed with. The government's move to remove 'Thiruswaroopangal' (religious images) from the premises of the aided schools and disallow prayers there would lead children to "atheism" and "throw their moral values out of gear," he said.

He also opposed the government's move to "hand over the control of aided schools to politicians" from the existing managements and the encroachments upon the management's right to appoint staff members and admit students.

Government's insistence on admitting 50 per cent students to the self-financing professional colleges run by the churches was in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, he said.