Catholics' protest against bishop turns violent

Over 40 people and 15 policemen were injured in the commotion.

(Picture courtesy: The Hindu)

Kollam:  The police fired teargas shells and used batons to disperse a group of Catholics who tried to break the police cordon and enter the Bishop’s House in the diocese of Quilon in Kerala on Sunday.

Over 40 people and 15 policemen, including Assistant Commissioner K. Lalji were injured in the commotion. Police arrested some 50 people and injured were admitted to the District Hospital in Kollam.

Some 500 people of Saint Joseph parish in Kureepuzha, including women and children, carrying black flags, marched to the Bishop’s House protesting Bishop Stanley Roman transferring their vicar Joseph Daniel.

The police said they resorted to the use of ‘mild force’ as the protestors tried to violently gatecrash into the Bishop’s House. They also threw stones, the police said. The police fired four rounds of teargas shells.

The parishioners said the police action was unprovoked.

The parishioners say the vicar should not be transferred till the construction of their new parish church was over. In November, following protests parishioners were assured that the vicar would not be transferred. The fresh transfer order, they say, violates that agreement.

The order was read out at the Sunday mass. Subsequently, the parishioners decided to take out a march to the Bishop’s House.

The police cordoned off the area anticipating tension. The parishioners made several attempts to breach the cordon and rush into the campus. The police resisted without using force. Then, the protesters squatted on the road and raised slogans against the Bishop and the transfer order.

As there was no initiative on part of the Bishop to initiate talks, even after 45 minutes of protest, the parishioners started venting their ire on the police. Mr. Lalji got in touch with the Bishop’s House authorities and urged them to hold talks.

Diocesan spokesperson George Rebeiro said transferring vicars and priests under the Catholic Church was the prerogative of the Bishop and Daniel was transferred as part of a general transfer procedure.

Daniel himself had explained it to the parishioners but they were not prepared to listen.

He said it was unfortunate that a group of parishioners resorted to violence after misreading a routine diocesan procedure.

Source: The Hindu