Kerala churches condemns Kashmir terror attacks, pledge support to Centre

Thiruvananthapuram, April 23 (IANS) Leaders of various Christian churches in Kerala on Wednesday condemned the dastardly terror attack in J&K's Pahalgam, which left 26 people - largely tourists from all over India - dead and several others injured.

Right Reverend Dr Euyakim Mar Coorilos, the Suffragan Metropolitan or the second in command of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, told IANS that the incident is deplorable and will be condemned by all.

"Precious and innocent lives have been lost due to the actions of a terror group. We stand united behind our country and those who lost their dear ones. We all should pray for the safety of our nation and the people," he said.

Bishop Dr Oommen George of the Church of South India told IANS that they stand solidly behind the government in their attempt to tackle the terror attack that took place on Tuesday.

"All know that India, and especially Kashmir, is on the road to speedy progress and development, and this is an attempt by the enemy nation to lower our esteem. We are confident that the entire Indian community will stand strongly united to thwart any attempts," the Bishop said.

The powerful Kerala Catholic Bishop Council's spokesman, Reverend Fr Thomas Tharayil, said the dastardly act by the terrorists in selecting and killing people based on their religion is an attack on the peace-loving secular people across the world.

"All should stand strongly against this act of dividing people based on religion. We all should pledge our support to those who are tackling these divisive tendencies, which have to be dealt with very strongly," the KCBC said in a statement.

"Our hearts go out to the victims’ families and also to the people across the world who have had to face similar tragedies," it added.

George Sebastian, the General Secretary of the Assembly of Christian Trust Services (ACTS), an association of all prominent Christian denominations, told IANS that the need of the hour is to give full support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team at the hour of crisis.

"The quick response initiated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah who flew into Pahalgam and the cutting short of the visit (to Saudi Arabia) by the PM, all speaks volumes of the way the Union government has taken this incident as utmost serious... those behind this should be silenced once and for all and India is capable for it," he said.

--IANS

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