From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 22: In an unprecedented move, as many as 19 priests of different parishes in the Ootacamund Diocese in Tamil Nadu have sent a signed representation to Karnataka’s Home Minister K J George to ensure that the ''language issue is not allowed to scuttle the investigation" into the ghastly murder of Fr K J Thomas, the then Rector of the St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore on the night of April 1 last year.
According to the letter sent to the State Home Minister, the 19 priests of different parishes of Ooty Diocese have expressed their ''sadness at the attempts by some priests/people to derail the whole matter by bringing in the language issue."
The 19 parish priests of the Ooty Diocese have sent of copies of the letter to Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio in New Delhi, Dr A Amalraj, Bishop of Ootacamund, and also to Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore.
Though Fr K J Thomas, who was aged 62 at the time of his brutal murder just outside his room in the Seminary last year, was born in Etturmanoor in Kottayam district of Kerala State, he joined the Ootacamund Diocese and became a priest. However, he served the St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bangalore in different capacities and was chosen as the Seminary Rector for the second term.
Fr K J Thomas was widely respected among the priests and other sections of the people in the three States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The Ooty Diocese priests, in their letter to the State Home Minister, mentioned that they were ''shell-shocked to hear of the brutal murder and anxious at the slow progress of the investigation."
According to the letter, a copy of which is available with Daijiworld, the Ooty Diocese priests said: ''But now we look forward to hopefully that you would proceed to render justice to Fr K J, his kith and kin to us his friends by pursuing without any let up, the investigation and bring the culprits to book whoever they may be."
''We are saddened to note that some priests/people in Bangalore are attempting to derail the whole matter by bringing in language issue. No Sir, please let not any issue to scuttle the investigation process and the course of justice," the priests appealed to the State Home Minister in their letter.
They also expressed their full confidence in the Minister that ''you would ensure that the culprits, however, mighty/influential/powerful/connected, are brought to book and are made to meet with the ends of justice."
The Ooty Diocesan priests have also informed the State Home Minister that, ''in our Diocese, we are praying daily for RIP for Fr K J and for revealing the identity of the killers and their motive."
The 19 parish priests of the Ooty Diocese, who have signed the letter, are: Frs S Anthonysamy (Rosary Church, Kondayanpalayam), A Vincent (St Mary’s Church, Talavadi, Erode, D Maria Joseph (St Joseph’s Church, Sosaipuram) A Lawrence (St Joseph’s Hr Sec School), Vincent (Sacred Heart Church, Metalvadi, Aralavadi) B James Roasario (St Antony’s Church, Panakahalli, Thalavadi), Paul Gaspar (Holy Cross Church, Chintahalli), Jaya Arulappa, Antony Samy (Nazareth Illam, Thalavadi), C Maria Anil Viennie (Doddagajanur), Joe F Felix (Annai Velankanni Shrine, Pudu Vadavalli, Sathyamangalam), M V Arthur (St Francis Xavier Hr Sec School, Periyakodiveri), C Antonysamy (St Francis Xaiver Church, Periyakodiveri), A Samuel Anchinam and A John (St Michael’s Church, Michaelpalayam).