KOZHIKODE: A meeting of Catholic Laymen’s Association (CLA), a forum of reformists in Syro Malabar Church, held at Thamarassery, near here, on Saturday expressed angst in the failure of state government in registering a case against Cardinal Mar George Alenchery despite an HC order for the same. The meeting was held in the wake of raging controversy over the land fraud in Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese of Syro Malabar Church and a group of priests took it to the streets on Friday urging the Cardinal to relinquish.
A resolution of the meeting also urged the police to register the case as soon as possible as moves are afoot to file an appeal at Supreme Court against the verdict of HC. The fraud is a criminal offence which is to be treated under the criminal law of the nation not by the existing laws of Vatican, the resolution said. Whether it is bishop or priest the law should be equal for all. CLA secretary ML George told DC that all the members demanded initiating criminal procedures against the high officials of the church as any delay would allow them to explore legal measures. “Few judges are close to the church heads who may help them to tide over the crisis legally”, he said.
In our knowledge the LDF government is trying to save the cardinal George Allanchery by restraining the police from registering a case, he added. CLA also has plans to approach HC over many issues the organization has been raising including selling of properties of many churches and dioceses across the state, misuse of properties, evading payment of taxes, stamp duties, and various fees in the name of religion, mobilizing funds from other countries for specific projects illegally and misleading the believers by hiding facts on the fund collection.
