The Thalassery Archdiocese has come out strongly against CPI-M Kerala secretary M V Govindan for his remarks against Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, stating that his words reflected a hidden authoritarian mindset. It said the Catholic bishops do not need permission from the AKG Centre to take a stand on any issue.
In a sharp criticism of the Govindan’s remarks on the Archbishop, the Thalassery Archdiocese said, in a statement, “The idea that Catholic bishops can issue statements only after getting clearance from the AKG Centre is a veiled form of fascism.”
The Archdiocese rejected claims that the Archbishop had changed his stance on the Chhattisgarh incident. It said the Archbishop had strongly criticised the Central government for its “unconstitutional stance” following the illegal arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh. However, he later thanked the Centre for its role in securing their release.
“Thanking the Central government for responding to the Church’s request to intervene in the matter does not indicate a shift in position, but rather reflects a well-thought-out approach aimed at avoiding communal polarization, the Archdiocese said in the statement.
Speaking at an NGO Union meeting at Taliparamba in Kannur district on Monday, CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan said Pamplany frequently shifted his political stance.
“When nuns were arrested in Chhattisgarh, he spoke out against the BJP. When bail was granted, he praised Amit Shah and others. Priests even went with cake. With such mood swings, neither Christians, Muslims, nor Communists will be saved,” MV Govindan said.