KCC says it is shocked at terror, violence

Kottayam, Sep 18 (UNI) The Executive Committee of the Kerala Council of Churches (KCC) today expressed shock and deep grief over the terrorist attacks in New Delhi in which many innocent people were killed.

The Committee also expressed shock over the continued violence against minorities and their places of worship in Orissa, Karnataka and other places.

KCC President, Rev Dr Abraham Mar Paulose, in a release here, said the Executive Committee condemned the heinous crime of killing Swami Lakshmananda and his associates on Sree Krishna Jayanthi Day.

The horrific act of extremists could not be tolerated on any ground and the government should take all efforts to bring the culprits to book.

The Orissa Tribal and Dalit Christians were weak and marginalised and they were in no way responsible for the murder of the Swami and his associates but they were victimised brutally by the violence and killings, he said.

The efforts of some political parties to weaken the religious freedom was the reason for violence in Orissa and Karnataka, the statement said.

The quest for power as the nation approaches another election persuades some political parties to trigger communal and religious sentiments in an attempt to win vote banks, it claimed.

Appealing to all political parties to desist from such dangerous acts, the KCC opined this was dangerous to whole democratic polity.

UNI VST DS SLD KP1705