23-04-2025
KCBC condemns terror attack, calls it threat to national security
Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) here on Wednesday (April 23) said the terror attack in Pahalgam has shocked the conscience of the world and posed a serious challenge to religious amity, humanity, and national security. The council stated that these acts should be fought by the nation as one.
'The terror attack and killing of people based on religious affiliation is a diabolical attack on amity treasured by the global human community,' the statement from the KCBC said.
The government machinery should be prepared to act firmly and maintain constant vigilance against forces that create religious divisions, both within and outside the country. Council spokesman Father Thomas Tharayil said that social and religious leadership must also come forward to maintain peace in the face of increasing religious discord.
The Syro-Malabar Church too condemned the attack. 'Extremism and acts of terror are great challenges to humanity, and acts of terror, which threaten national security, should be wiped out. These acts of terror question the basic tenets of humanity, destroy peace and peaceful coexistence among people,' said a statement issued by the Syro-Malabar Church.
The official spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Church said that those responsible for the terror attack should be given exemplary punishment. The Church spokesman assured prayers for the repose of those who died in the attack.
'These acts aim not only at creating an atmosphere of fear but also dividing society. Innocent people are being targeted, hampering the progress of humanity. Cooperation among countries, strong laws and vigilance by the people are required to combat these incidents,' the spokesman added.
The Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Baselios Joseph described the terror attack as heart-rending and said it 'deserved to be condemned in the strongest terms.' 'Such acts that question the unity and integrity of the country cannot be justified under any circumstances,' he said in a statement. The statement added that Kashmir has been relatively peaceful of late, but now the terror attack is a cause for anxiety.
