Church would not tolerate move to usurp minority rights

Kottayam, Aug 8 (UNI) Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church today took strong exception to the manner in which the Left Front Government in the State was trying to annex the minority rights in the name of education reforms.

In his budget speech here, Church Secretary George Joseph categorically stated at the Malankara Syrian Christian Association Managing Committee Meeting that the Church would not tolerate the move to usurp the minority rights.

The administrators were making statements totally ignoring the contributions of the Christian Churches to the State's Education, Social Welfare and Health sectors. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was endorsing the stance of the Catholic Church in that regard, he said in the speech.

If there was corruption in any Institution, Government should take action instead of ridiculing the community as a whole, he opined and unequivocally stated that the Church would not tolerate the move to usurp the minority rights.

Dr Joseph presented Rs 2245 lakh budget for the church for the year 2007-2008. Introduction of medical insurance for priests, Poet C P Chandy memorial award, award in the memory of martyrs in the church, and schemes for the development of Dalit Christians were among the schemes envisaged in the budget .

UNI