Thiruvananthapuram: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday recommended to the Centre to initiate a probe by its agency into allegations of rape and sexual assault against the Jalandhar bishop and priests of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala.
At a press conference in New Delhi, NCW chairperson Resha Sharma made a strong pitch for the abolition of the practice of confession. Back in Kerala, this drew a swift and sharp reaction from Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, who questioned her authority to make the recommendation.
Four recommendations:
1.) A Central agency needs to do a proper investigation into the increasing incidents of rape and sexual assault in churches of Kerala
2.) The practice of confession should be abolished as it can lead to blackmailing of women·
3.) Kerala police and Punjab police must act swiftly on FIRs and frame charges against the accused persons
4.) The complainants need all help from the state government to restart their lives. The Government should ensure their job, salary and perks.
The recommendations had come in the background of apprehensions in certain quarters that police probe was slow-paced. The NCW was concerned at the Punjab police failure to take note of the nun’s complaint to her superiors about Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal subjecting her to serial violation at the Kuravilangad convent between 2014 and 2016.
Ms Sharma said the Punjab police should have taken cognizance of the allegation of rape the victim/survivor had made to her high-ups and filed an FIR. That she had not registered a formal complaint with the police was another issue.
The practice of confession must be abolished because both men and women are susceptible to extortion and abuse respectively by the confessors. Women should not have to confess to priests. Changes must be incorporated in tune with the times, she said.
Cardinal Cleemis asked on what authority did the NCW chairperson recommended the abolition of the confession. “We are extremely anxious to know the Centre’s response to the NCW recommendation”, he said.
In the case involving the four Orthodox priests the crime branch has filed an FIR on the basis of the complaint lodged by the woman’s husband, alleging that the priests abused his wife, using her confessional secret for blackmail. She had also subsequently given a complaint.
Meanwhile, the Kuravilangad nun’s brother alleged that the bishop had proffered Rs 5 crore to hush up charges after the media leaked audio of the conversation between the nun and Cardinal George Alecherry.
