Hindu office
Thrissur:
Irinjalacuda diocesan bishop Mar Paula Kannookadan said that personal opinions should not be misunderstood as the official position of the Catholic Church. His remarks came in response to the recent statement by Archbishop Thalassery Mar Joseph Pamplany, who scored the Minister of the Interior of the Union Amit Shah and the central government for the release of nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh.
The Archbishop of Pamplany expressed gratitude to Mr. Shah and the central government and claimed that their intervention led to the bail. He said that justice was delivered, though delayed. He also criticized Chhattisgarh and said that the center had made a bail facilitated despite the state’s attitude.
Bishop Kannoookadan replied to this and said that the Church has a defined political outlook, but does not compare to any political party. “The official position of the Church must be mediated by its leadership. Personal opinions expressed by individuals should not be incorrectly interpreted as the opinions of the Church,” he told the media on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Irinjalakuda diocese issued a strong statement criticized by both central and Chhattisgarh governments for the arrest of nuns. In a pastoral letter read during the Sunday Mass in Churches below the diocese, the center was criticized for lack of intervention despite protests in and outside parliament. The letter stated that nuns, even if a bail were awarded, remained involved in legal complications. He added that neither the Center nor the Government of Chhattisgarh took steps to ensure their release.
The diocese repeated its intention to continue protests against what it described as an unfair and unfounded arrest. “The bail provided is not full of relief because it comes with strict conditions. The indictment must be canceled and the case is withdrawn,” Bishop Kannookadan said. He also called for legal measures against TTE train and organizations such as Bajrang, who were allegedly involved in the incident. “The center must act against extremist groups,” he added.
As part of the continuing demonstrations, a large protest rally was held in Chalakuds on Sunday evening.
Published – 3rd August 2025 20:45
