Rajnath Singh promises action to free Kerala preist from captivity in Yemen
Thrissur: Home Minister Rajnath Singh does not know who Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil is and about his abduction by the terrorists in Yemen. However, after he was briefed by BJP national council member P.K. Krishnadas and mediapersons here on Thursday, the minister promised to take appropriate action to free the Salesian priest after getting more information about his present condition.
The minister had come to Guruvayur to offer prayers at the Sree Krishna Temple. When reporters asked him about the government plans to rescue Fr. Tom, he was at a loss to answer at first. After he was told about the matter, he promised prompt action.
It may be recalled that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had made several tweets after the latest video of the abducted priest appeared in the media recently.
Referring to demonetisation, Mr Singh said that the currency shortage had been effectively dealt with. Mr Singh who reached Guruvayur on Wednesday night came to the temple at 2.50 a.m. on Thursday and offered prayers before the main deity for 10 minutes.
Though the minister was expected to leave the temple town at 10 a.m. on Thursday, due to the delay in the Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore Express, the railway level-crossing at Guruvayur was closed at that time and his journey from Guruvayur to the airport was delayed by half an hour.
Relatives meet Alencherry
The relatives of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil met Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church on Thursday and sought his intervention to release the Salesian priest from the terrorists’ clutches.
Mr Thomas Uzhunnalil, Mr O.S. Mathew, Mr N.A. Thomas and Mr Roy Mathew of the Uzhunnalil Kudumbayogam urged the Archbishop to take up the issue at the Synod of Syro-Malabar Church to be held next week. Cardinal Alenchery told DC that he had not given any assurance to present the case at the Synod.
