Cong merger: Pinarayi flays bishops

CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has asked the Catholic Church to make its stand clear on the allegation that Kerala Congress Joseph group had walked out of the LDF under duress from bishops. Vijayan said it was unbecoming of the bishops to indulge in political matters and that the LDF had never allowed berth for a political party that took pride in controlling a religious group. He added that the Joseph group had been accommodated in the LDF since that partys approach looked secular.

Regarding the merger of Kerala Congress groups,Vijayan said,The bishops are managing the affairs of the Church and not of any party. It is the party leaders who are responsible for mergers or splits. Kerala Congress leaders are very capable people and it is belittling for them to say that the bishops manage their affairs. However,Vijayan was soft on the head of the Catholic Church,Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil.

Bishops who have resorted to the immature stand should correct themselves. But I have not come across the Cardinal taking such a stand. A few bishops are hardcore UDF loyalists, he said.