<p class="title">The progressive stand of the LDF government in Kerala, which was in the spotlight after its support to women's entry in Sabarimala, seems to have a blind spot when it came to a law calling for strict regulation of church properties.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Pinarayi has assured prominent church leaders that the draft law will not be enacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While the CPM hopes to appease the Christian community with this move on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, a strong campaign is on that claims the government was harsh on Hindu groups for their stand on Sabarimala while it is being soft on the churches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The matters are complicated by a section of Christian believers who are in fact in favour of harsher regulations on the church properties, which are worth hundred of crores.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shady land dealings of the Syro Malabar church that had emerged last year are a specific reason many are calling for the stringent laws. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The Kerala Law Reforms Commission, headed by (Retd) Justice K T Thomas, had recently brought out the draft law, named Kerala Church (Properties and Institution) Bill, 2019.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Regular auditing of the properties and a tribunal to handle property disputes were among the key provisions of the draft law.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Church Act Joint Council, a forum of various Christian outfits, that has been campaigning for the stringent law, has now intensified the stir by staging demonstrations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It demands that a draft law framed in 2009, which contains more stringent provisions, should be enacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">(Retd) Justice Thomas had in fact drafted the fresh bill after considering strong pleas from various Christian outfits and believers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the new draft law contained milder provisions considering the possibility of protests. Even so, the leaders of the churches have been jointly pressurising the government against it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is unfortunate that the Kerala government is succumbing to the pressure of the church leaders," Father Yuhanon Ramban, director of the Malankara Action Council for Church Act Action Council, said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Political sources said that the stand of the LDF government may be used by the BJP in its attempts to consolidate Hindu votes during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The campaign has spread to social media, where many are alleging CPM's bias in favour of the Christian community over the Hindu community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Christians constitute about 20% of Kerala population. They have traditionally favoured the Congress and the Congress-led UDF.</p>
<p class="title">The progressive stand of the LDF government in Kerala, which was in the spotlight after its support to women's entry in Sabarimala, seems to have a blind spot when it came to a law calling for strict regulation of church properties.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Pinarayi has assured prominent church leaders that the draft law will not be enacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While the CPM hopes to appease the Christian community with this move on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, a strong campaign is on that claims the government was harsh on Hindu groups for their stand on Sabarimala while it is being soft on the churches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The matters are complicated by a section of Christian believers who are in fact in favour of harsher regulations on the church properties, which are worth hundred of crores.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shady land dealings of the Syro Malabar church that had emerged last year are a specific reason many are calling for the stringent laws. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The Kerala Law Reforms Commission, headed by (Retd) Justice K T Thomas, had recently brought out the draft law, named Kerala Church (Properties and Institution) Bill, 2019.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Regular auditing of the properties and a tribunal to handle property disputes were among the key provisions of the draft law.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Church Act Joint Council, a forum of various Christian outfits, that has been campaigning for the stringent law, has now intensified the stir by staging demonstrations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It demands that a draft law framed in 2009, which contains more stringent provisions, should be enacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">(Retd) Justice Thomas had in fact drafted the fresh bill after considering strong pleas from various Christian outfits and believers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the new draft law contained milder provisions considering the possibility of protests. Even so, the leaders of the churches have been jointly pressurising the government against it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is unfortunate that the Kerala government is succumbing to the pressure of the church leaders," Father Yuhanon Ramban, director of the Malankara Action Council for Church Act Action Council, said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Political sources said that the stand of the LDF government may be used by the BJP in its attempts to consolidate Hindu votes during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The campaign has spread to social media, where many are alleging CPM's bias in favour of the Christian community over the Hindu community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Christians constitute about 20% of Kerala population. They have traditionally favoured the Congress and the Congress-led UDF.</p>