Hours after the Jacobite faction announced its decision to cut off ties with the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC), the Orthodox faction here on Thursday clarified that it too did not intend to hold discussions on the issue any further.
In a statement, Baselios Mar Thoma Poulose II, Catholicos Bava and president of the MOSC, said there was no point in holding discussions with those who do not abide by the court order.
Explaining that the Supreme Court had repeatedly upheld the constitution of the church of 1934, he said that the Patriarch faction had already spoiled its chances to resolve the dispute by unilaterally withdrawing from the discussions held under the aegis of former judge V.S. Malimath.
Charge against Jacobites
Pointing out that it was the Patriarch faction that had approached the Supreme Court with a case, the Catholicos also condemned their unwillingness to accept the court order. Having lost their case right from the lower court to the apex court, the Jacobite faction was now unwilling to accept the court of law itself, he said.
“The constant attempts by the Patriarch faction to overthrow the judiciary by criticising the courts and blaming the judges will not work in a country ruled by law,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Catholicos also asserted that the MOSC would not interfere with the rights of the parishioners despite the takeover and no believer had been expelled from any of its churches so far.
“It was the Patriarch faction that had created some tense moments inside these churches, including at Mulamthuruthy. No members of the Orthodox Church were present at the church at the time of the police action. It is natural for the police to take action against those who violate the law,” he said.
Further, he also warned against any attempts to expel the Orthodox Church from the church fraternity and the attempts to legislate local laws to bypass the court order.