KLCA Slams ‘False Cases’ Against Priests Leading Chellanam Sea Wall Protest

Kochi, June 23, 2025:

The Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) has strongly criticised the Thoppumpady police for filing what it describes as false cases against priests, community leaders and protestors involved in the long-standing sea wall agitation from Chellanam to Fort Kochi. “No one should think they can suppress this protest by instilling fear through cases filed against the community spokesperson, the priests, or the protestors,” KLCA stated in a press release, calling the police action an attempt to intimidate and silence a peaceful movement.

Protest and Police Allegations

For years, locals have been staging a peaceful agitation demanding coastal protection measures along the stretch between Chellanam and Fort Kochi. This year, as living conditions worsened, the protest intensified with priests leading a hunger strike. In a show of solidarity, coastal residents marched to the protest site to express their support.

The KLCA accused authorities of planning to block the protest deliberately. “When authorities failed to carry out traffic regulations, they acted with the intention to obstruct the procession and framed a conspiracy,” the statement alleged.

The Thoppumpady police registered cases against the spokesperson of the Latin Catholic community, the priests who led the protest, and other activists, claiming they obstructed public pathways. The KLCA state committee condemned this move as “unacceptable”.

Accusations of False Charges

According to the KLCA, those charged had been present at the protest site throughout the day. The police FIR alleges they led a procession that blocked roads. “They have been falsely accused of leading a procession and obstructing the road,” the KLCA stated.

The Association noted that the protest intensified only because of government inaction in the face of recurring sea erosion. While only 7.3 kilometres of tetrapods have been installed out of the total 17-kilometre coastal stretch, the authorities have not provided any assurance about the remaining work.

“Instead of acting in time, when the people, worn out by sea rage, began protesting, the authorities attempted to cover up their failure,” the release stated. The KLCA criticised the move to label protest leaders as criminals. “They have filed criminal cases based entirely on falsehoods,” the Association said.

Mass Support and FIR Details

The KLCA also highlighted the spontaneous participation of the public. “Even the organisers did not expect so many people would come to greet the fasting priests,” the release said. However, the FIR reportedly claims the organisers intended to obstruct public passage and ignored police instructions to disperse.

Fear Tactics and KLCA Response

The KLCA leadership made it clear that legal action against community leaders would not silence the protest. “No one should think they can suppress this protest by instilling fear through cases filed against the community spokesperson, the priests, or the protestors,” the office bearers stated.

Calling the police action cowardly, the KLCA added, “Instead of attempting to save lives by building any kind of barriers on the coast, they have falsely accused people who were forced to come to the streets due to hopelessness.”

The state president, Sherry J Thomas, and general secretary, Biju Josey, demanded immediate withdrawal of the cases and a public apology. “Those responsible for filing the false cases and those who gave the orders must be ready to apologise and withdraw the cases,” they concluded.

By Catholic Connect Reporter