Church-Communist Joint Venture: Over A Lakh Christians To Join Kerala Government-Sponsored ‘Women Wall’ For Sabarimala Entry

When the opposition parties and prominent social leaders have slammed the Kerala government-sponsored ‘Women Wall’, the Jacobite Syrian Church has expressed its support to the same, reports The New Indian Express.

When political commentators across the country alleged the move to be an ideologically motivated gesture which would cause communal polarisation, the open support of a Christian faction is being seen as giving credibility to the allegations.

The Church’s decision to support the wall also has a political undercurrent. The move comes at a time when the Malankara Orthodox faction which supported the LDF during the previous assembly election, has now shown signs of a rift after the Piravom church fiasco.

In a blow to the Orthodox Church, Supreme Court had ordered status quo at the church under the control of Jacobite Syrian Church. Reports suggest that Jacobite support for the Women Wall is in return of the communist government's favourable intervention in the Piravom church issue against other denominational group, not a commitment to gender equality.

There had also been allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his selective haste in implementing the Supreme Court verdicts. While his government was hell-bent on ensuring entry of young women in Sabarimala, the police refused to enforce the Supreme Court verdict on Piravom church issue.

“We hope nearly one lakh Jacobite women will take part in the Women’s Wall ,” Fr Varghese Kallappara, the Jacobite Church’s former official spokesperson was quoted saying by TNIE.

However, the Malankara Orthodox Church has addressed its grievance to the Chief Minister and also requested the support of the Central government in implementing the Supreme Court verdict in favour of them.