Protest against Adani port costs Kerala Latin Church bank accounts frozen

The Latin Catholic Church in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram finds itself embroiled in a financial quagmire as its bank accounts remain frozen by the Union government, reportedly after the protests by local fisherfolk against the Adani port project in nearby Vizhinjam in 2022.

The roots of this issue trace back to 2022 when a faction of fisherfolk, supported by the Latin Catholic diocese of Thiruvananthapuram, raised concerns over the Rs 7,500-crore project spearheaded by billionaire Gautam Adani's port business. Allegations surfaced that the project would exacerbate coastal erosion and jeopardize the livelihoods of the fishing communities.

Tensions reached a boiling point on November 26, 2022, when protesters obstructed the Adani Group from resuming construction at the project site, which had been halted for four months. Despite the intervention of the Kerala High Court, construction resumed.

In a pastoral letter disseminated across all churches, Archbishop Thomas J Netto lamented the dire consequences of the frozen accounts. The archdiocese now grapples with an inability to meet routine expenses and support the training of seminarians.

Furthermore, the freezing of accounts has hampered the receipt of crucial aid for mission work, exacerbating the financial strain on the diocese.

As the archdiocese navigates this financial crisis, Archbishop Netto implores individuals to step forward and contribute towards alleviating the burdens faced by the church.