Kerala church feud: Govt brings in ordinance to resolve burial standoff

In a bid to end the Church feud over burial grounds, the Kerala government on Wednesday proposed an ordinance making burial a right of every Christian at his or her parish cemetery.

The ordinance in effect will benefit the Jacobite faction of Malankara Church as the ongoing property dispute between the Jacobite and Orthodox Church had resulted in an undue delay in burials.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state government has introduced the ordinance as the warring factions were unable to reach a consensus. "The Cabinet had appointed a sub-committee to look into the issue and amicably solve it. But even after reaching out only one faction was ready for discussion. Instances of burial being obstructed were reported. Since it was becoming a social issue, the government intervened, " he said.

The dispute between Jacobite and the Orthodox faction over properties is continuing for long in Kerala and even after a Supreme Court verdict in 2017, the feud is yet to die down.