Governor must not give assent to Kerala's Church Bill: Malankara Church

Kottayam: The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala protested the government's expected Church Bill, saying that it should not overturn the Supreme Court's 2017 ruling, sought the state governor Arif Mohammed Khan's intervention on Sunday, reports The Hindu.

Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Catholicos, head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) said told the Governor, who was present at the Marthoman Heritage Assembly here, during his speech that it is well-accepted that the Supreme Court is the law of the land. Therefore, the Governor must not give ascent to any law presented before him for approval by the state government, disregarding the 2017 judgement of the top court favouring the church.

Mathews said that they trust the Governor and that he will use his discretion to uphold justice.

The Catholicos said that the SC ruling had settled the dispute of the ruling of parishes under the Malankara church by upholding the 1934 Constitution of the Malankara Church. He added that those attempting to remove the freedom and identity of the Orthodox Church through the Bill are living in a fool's paradise.

However, he reiterated that the Church is committed to find a peaceful solution to the dispute, but in line with the Supreme Court ruling and 1934 Constitution. He said that the Malankara Church has been in legal battles for the last 145 years to uphold its identity, and those in power should remember that the Church's position has not changed an inch from its predecessors.

Governor Arif Khan, who was present at venues replied to the Catholicos that the church's concerns are justified.

He said that as the Governor of the state, the oath he had taken was to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the country and its laws. All of us are bound by the oath we take, he says.