Pinarayi raps church leadership's campaign against govt

Kottayam, Aug 19 (UNI) Communist Party of India (M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan today criticised the bishops for the ongoing ''campaign'' against the LDF government in the name of minority rights and the developments in the Self-Financing education sector.

Addressing a public meeting held as part of the district committee office building inauguration here, he asserted that there was no confrontation with the church and that the government was not anti-minorities.

Quoting Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil's statement that no bribe should be accepted for the appointment of teachers and admission of students and if money was accepted that should be returned, Mr Vijayan said the government also had the same stance.

The church should cooperate with the government but certain bishops were opposing the government with political interest, he charged.

He reiterated that the government was ready to hold discussion with the church to allay its concern.

Chief minister V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the new District Committee office building of the CPI (M) and P Krishnapilla Birth Centenary Memorial Hall. Mr Vijayan inaugurated the T K Ramakrishnan Memorial Study Centre in the building.

L D F Convenor Vaikom Viswan presided over the function.

UNI