Orthodox Church voices dissent over KPCC reshuffle, feels its members were overlooked

More than conscionable factional rivalries, the caller revamp of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) appears to person sparked a caller question of discontent implicit the ‘communal imbalances’ wrong the enactment too.

For instance, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church has travel retired successful the open, expressing interest implicit what it sees arsenic the marginalisation of Orthodox Christians during the KPCC revamp. In a uncommon amusement of nationalist dissent, 2 metropolitans of the Kottayam-headquartered Church, Geevarghese Mar Yulios and Yuhanon Mar Diascoros, person criticised the omission of Abin Varkey and Chandy Oommen from cardinal positions.

“Abin Varkey should person headed the Youth Congress astatine the State level. Chandy Oommen has besides been unfairly overlooked. While they person not communicated to america their dissatisfaction directly, we are raising these concerns due to the fact that they are members of the Orthodox Church,” said Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Diascoros.

‘Based connected religion’

While expressing interest implicit governmental parties revamping their organisations based connected spiritual affiliations, the Metropolitan clarified that the Church has nary volition to formally pass its grievance to the Congress leadership. “However, we person definite questions to ask, not conscionable to the Congress but to each governmental parties. Those questions volition beryllium raised astatine an due clip erstwhile they attack us,” helium added.

But the contented extends beyond these 2 leaders. Sources bespeak that the Orthodox Church is acrophobic astir the increasing power of the Catholic community, peculiarly the Syro-Malabar Church, wrong the Congress. The elevation of Sunny Joseph arsenic KPCC president, wide seen arsenic a determination to consolidate Catholic votes, has intensified these concerns.

‘Only 1 member’

“It is often sections similar the Orthodox Church that suffer retired erstwhile apical posts are decided based connected ‘communal equations.’ Denying Abin Varkey the Youth Congress station citing his Christian individuality is hard to justify, particularly erstwhile posts similar KPCC president and KSU president were awarded to others based connected their Christian identity,” a elder Church functionary said.

The KPCC’s revamped database of wide secretaries reflects this imbalance arsenic lone 1 subordinate from the Orthodox Church, Simon Alex from Thiruvananthapuram, has been included connected it. Inside the Congress, sources suggest a speedy hole whitethorn beryllium connected the horizon. A elder Kottayam person confirmed, “The Church’s concerns volition beryllium addressed done a little reshuffle, apt soon.”