Eyeing political revival, Catholic Church steps up farmer protest ahead of local body elections
All organisations and institutions under the Archdiocese of Changanassery of the Syro-Malabar Church will take part in a massive demonstration to be organised by the All Kerala Catholic Congress (AKCC), the official lay organisation of the Church, at Mankombu in Kuttanad. The event, scheduled for August 17, when the State celebrates Farmers' Day, is being staged as a follow-up to the 'Nasrani Sangamam' (Christian Meet) held in February this year.
Archbishop Mar Thomas Tharayil, head of the Changanassery archdiocese, will lead the day-long demonstration. 'Though tens of thousands participated in the Nasrani Sangamam, no meaningful action has been taken by the government so far. It is in this context that a protest is being organised in Kuttanad, which will also involve submitting petitions and a mass memorandum to both the Union and State governments,' said AKCC president Biju Sebastian.
The protest will see participation from all priests, members of the Pastoral Council, the Vigilance Committee, office-bearers from archdiocesan and forane churches, and unit-level organisations, as well as farmers, agricultural labourers, and leaders from other communities.
Church sources said the demonstration , which demands urgent measures to restore farming and livelihoods in Kuttanad, will coincide with similar protests by the Kothamangalam and Idukki dioceses over continuing farm distress and escalating wildlife attacks. These coordinated actions are seen as part of a broader bid to reclaim the community's diminished public visibility over the past two decades. 'This is indeed an attempt to show that Christians have the strength to rise again,' remarked a senior Church functionary.
The latest move assumes significance especially as the Church is finalising a community empowerment action plan aimed at fielding the maximum number of community members in the forthcoming local body elections. The move takes a cue from a recent call by the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), which urged young Christians to step forward and play an active role in politics.
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