Stir for arrest of Bishop hots up

Kochi: The agitation demanding the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal is set to intensify with a 24-hour relay hunger strike by a team of five women each from Friday in solidarity with the nuns staging a sit-in protest at high court junction in Ernakulam. This is in addition to the hunger strike by writer and social activist P Geetha, which has completed three days. 

The police and the authorities concerned are deceiving the people in the state by dillydallying in the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, Fr. Augustine Vatolly general convener of Save our Sisters Action Council (SoS Action Council) said.  The government is forcing the people to hit the streets for justice, he added. The first five of the women joining the hunger strike on Friday has been identified as Siji.K, Jalaja Mol, Sr. Imelda, Laila Rasheed and Rema KM.

The nuns on a sit-in protest demanding the arrest of the Bishop Franco meanwhile expressed their happiness over the decision of Vatican relieving the bishop from his official responsibilities temporarily. The decision is a sign of victory, said Sr. Anupama.  The news was received with applauses in the venue protest as the statement from the Vatican was read out aloud. 

The venue of the strike was filled with anticipation from Thursday morning as reports suggested that police will arrest Bishop Franco by afternoon. DGP Loknatha Behera telling newspersons that the anticipatory bail petition pending in the high court by the bishop will not be a deterrent for arrest has also given the impression that investigation team will book him soon. Rumours were rife that the Bishop will be arrested at 3 pm and taken to the Ettumanur magistrate for remand procedure. The expectations however soon turned out to be sceptical and by 4 pm it became clear that arrest will not be held on Thursday. 

The visit of Kochi Range IG Vijay Sakhare to the office of the Director General Prosecution in late evening further revived the speculation of an imminent action against the bishop. But it soon ended and the venue of the protest was filled with criticism of the police and the state government. The police and the government in Kerala will not move against Bishop Franco even if Pope Francis takes action against him, said Majeendran, district coordinator of National Alliance of People's Movement. 

Addressing the protest, Adv KS Madhusoodanan has said the investigation team is fooling the people in the name of questioning the bishop for the past two days.