Ancient churches under attack in Kerala

Kochi, Sept 21 : The ongoing attacks on churches are fast spreading to other parts of Kerala as two very ancient churches window, door and a Jesus statue were found broken in Nedumbassery area in Kerala on Sunday.

One is a Catholic church and the other one is a Jacobite Syrian Church Mor Sabore Afroth Cathedral, according to the police officials the attacks may have taken place on Saturday night or early morning on Sunday.

No one has been arrested so far. The Cathedral belonging to Jacobites is more than 1000 year old and the Catholic Church is more than 450 years old. All the major parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Left and the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) have strongly condemned the attacks. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting, chaired by Kerala Minister for Fisheries and Registration S. Sharma was held after the Minister's visit to the place. He said, "These churches are thousands of year old and are considered as a place of communal harmony, both the congregation were living like one family. This village is keeping high spiritual and social values and anyone who plans to bring this down will not be spared and soon we will trace them with all the support of people that is what the government is looking for." Besides Sharma, United Democratic Front (UDF) Convener P. P. Thankachan and BJP leader Nembassery Ravi attended the meeting.

"I think that it has been done by miscreants who want to malign or damage these churches as it is happening in rest of the country and it is the duty of the police to find it out. From BJP's side we promise to provide all kind of help and support," said Ravi. Last week, a church had been attacked in Kasargod District in Kerala. By Juhan Samuel

ANI