Rajnath Singh promises action to free Kerala preist from captivity in Yemen

Thrissur: Home Minister Rajnath Singh does not know who Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil is and about his abduction by the terrorists in Yemen.  However, after he was briefed   by BJP national council member P.K. Krishnadas and mediapersons here on Thursday, the minister  promised to take appropriate action to free  the  Salesian priest after getting more information about his present condition.

The minister had come to Guruvayur to offer  prayers at the  Sree Krishna Temple. When reporters asked him about the government plans to rescue Fr. Tom, he was at a loss to answer at first. After he was told about the matter, he promised prompt action.

It may be recalled that  External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had made several tweets after the latest video of the abducted priest appeared  in the media recently.

Referring to demonetisation, Mr Singh said that the  currency shortage had been effectively dealt with.    Mr Singh who reached Guruvayur on Wednesday night came to the temple at 2.50 a.m. on Thursday and offered prayers before the main deity for 10 minutes.

Though the minister was expected to leave the temple town at 10 a.m. on Thursday, due to the delay in the Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore Express, the railway level-crossing at Guruvayur  was closed at that time and his journey from Guruvayur to the airport was delayed by half an hour.

Relatives meet Alencherry
The relatives of  Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil met Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church on Thursday and sought  his intervention  to release the Salesian priest from the terrorists’ clutches.  

Mr Thomas Uzhunnalil, Mr O.S. Mathew, Mr N.A. Thomas and Mr Roy Mathew of the Uzhunnalil Kudumbayogam urged the Archbishop to take up the issue  at the Synod of Syro-Malabar Church to be held next week. Cardinal Alenchery told DC that he had not given  any assurance to present the case at the Synod.