Priyanka Chopra's grandma's burial: Church vicar defends committee decision

Kottayam: Father Simon Manuel, Vicar of the St John’s Jacobite Syrian Church,  Attamangalam, Kumarakom,  has defended the decision of the church committee to refuse permission to bury the body of Madhu Jyotsna Akhauri,  grandmother of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, in the church cemetery.  “The decision was based on  conventions and  intended to ensure equal justice for all,” he told reporters here on Saturday.

His remarks came in the  context of  Kottayam diocese Bishop Thomas Mar Themotheos  condemning the decision of the church committee. The vicar said the bishop had not given any instructions to conduct the burial  at the church.   

Ms Akhauri was buried in the cemetery of St Thomas Jacobite Church, Ponkunnam, last   Sunday after the church authorities at  Kumarakom denied permission to bury her in her home parish saying she was  not  a member of the parish. According to the church authorities,  she had not  renewed her parish membership.

Extending support to  St John's church, Catholica Bava of the Jacobite Church, Baselios Thomas,  in a statement said that the church had not committed any wrong in the case as the committee could decide only on the basis of conventions and rules.   He maintained that the church had shown respect to Akhauri by allowing her burial at St Thomas Church, Ponkunnam.

Almaya Forum decries denial of permission

 

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission should take action against St John’s Aattamangalam Church for denying permission for the burial of body of Mary John, grandmother of Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, in the church cemetery. The action of the church is anti-Christian and anti-human, Paul Vargheese president of the Almaya Forum said in a statement on Saturday.

The issue received attention because of the celebrity status of the actor, he said, and added that many ordinary people also suffer such treatment from the church authorities. A similar incident took place in Pazhanthottam Church sometime back, Mr Vargheese said. The timely intervention of the Almaya Forum and the local police helped to resolve the matter.

The Human Rights Commission and the state government should take strict action against such practices when all religions teach for showing dignity to a dead body, Mr. Vargheese said. The government should explore the possibility of bringing a legislation to curb such practices, he added.