Church deplores Archbishop's praise for Shah after nuns' bail

Irinjalakuda Diocese Bishop Mar Pauly Kannookadan on Sunday dismissed Thalassery Archbishop Joseph Pamplany’s remarks praising Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his efforts toward securing the release of the Keralite nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of religious conversion and human trafficking.

- AM Abdussalam

In a clear censure of Pamplany, Bishop Kannookadan stated that it is the church leadership that is responsible for taking the official stance. “Only church heads are authorised to state the church's position. Individual opinions do not reflect the official view," he clarified.

Irinnjalakuda Diocese has come out strongly against both the Union and Chhattisgarh state governments over the arrest of nuns, calling the inaction “disappointing” despite widespread protests. In a pastoral letter read during Sunday Mass in churches under the Diocese, it criticised the Centre for not intervening, despite protests inside and outside the parliament.