KCBC urges Govt to withdraw text books prpogating atheism

Kochi, Jun 11 (UNI) The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) today urged the State Government to withdraw school textbooks propogating atheism.

Announcing the details of the two-day meet of the KCBC here, its spokesperson Stephen Alathara said ''the meet demanded the Government to withdraw the controversial social science textbooks of the seventh standard that instilled anti-religious feelings and atheistic attitudes in the minds of the students.'' The meet decided to observe June 30 as a protest day against the inclusion of such anti-religious textbooks in the school curriculum.

On 'Single Window Admission' to the higher secondary schools, Dr Alathara said any move by the Government to interfere in the right of the managements to admit students to higher secondary schools' management and community seats would not be tolerated.

''The managements were providing one more form to account the community details of various students and this form is not a substitute for the Government's application form,'' he noted.

The meet also expressed 'shock and grief' over the recommendations of the Kerala Women's Commission that the State Government should take legal steps to prevent girls below 18 years from becoming nuns.

''The recommendations were made based on inadequate knowledge and without proper consideration of the facts. It also showed the Commission's ignorance regarding church, religious life, ecclesiastical doctrine and the canon law,'' he said.

The conference, which was attended by 34 bishops from 29 Catholic Dioceses across Kerala, also demanded the Government not to evict anyone for development needs without any rehabilitation.

The conference also decided to formulate a policy to uplift the Dalit Christians in Kerala and to study their conditions, he added.

The Council also discussed the 'gender policy' prepared by KCBC Women Commission regarding the duties and rights of women in the church.

Dr Alathara said the policy would be studied in detail by a four-memeber committee headed by Bishop Mathew Anikuzhikattil of Idukki Diocesse. Bishops and law representatives from across the state would participate in the canonization ceremony of the Indian holy nun Sister Alphonsa on October 12 in Vatican, he added.

UNI MA GKT LS HT2100