Media Release

Udupi, May 20: The Udupi and Chikkamagalur district churches of the Brahmavar diocese belonging to The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, strongly condemn the comments regarding vaccination made by MP Shobha Karandlaje as completely false and malicious, with intent to malign the community.

The community along with all the other Christian churches and denominations has been on a war footing since the beginning of the Covid pandemic last year, adhering to all the government regulations, spreading awareness, implementing measures to control the pandemic and providing aid to the needy and poor. The bishops, priests and other heads of the community have called meetings on a regular basis, with various stakeholders, to extend support and to address the pandemic in all possible manner.

The churches have remained completely closed for the public during the lockdowns and have functioned only after following all the covid protocols, thus ensuring the safety and well-being of all the devotees and visitors and controlling the spread of covid.

To control and spread awareness regarding Covid, the Covid task force teams and Covid warriors in various parishes have been formed. They have been reaching out to each and every family to get vaccinated. They are engaged in taking symptomatic and suspected cases to the testing facilities as well as providing medical essentials to the quarantined/home isolated patients.

Funerals of covid victims have been carried out following all the protocols and safety by a designated team of volunteers.

The community has also been instrumental in providing food kits and responding to the non-medical emergencies of the poor and needy, irrespective of caste, creed and religion since last year’s lockdown.

It should also be noted that the community has approached and submitted a written appeal to the government to take up its many facilities (hostels, auditoriums, schools) to be converted into quarantine/covid care centers. It should also be noted right now across our nation, many Christian hospitals, schools and other facilities are in use for covid-related treatment.

The amount of service of Christian clergy, religious, medical professionals and volunteers has been significant in the fight against the pandemic and many have lost their lives being in the frontline. The work of the Christian community has been instrumental and cannot be ignored or subjected to such degrading comments.

The dubious claims by MP Shobha Karandlaje, is discouraging and in no way helpful in curbing the pandemic.

Instead, steps should be taken by MP Shobha Karandlaje, to address the shortage of vaccines and to provide the needed medical essentials and facilities at the earliest in the Udupi – Chikkamagalur region.

The community along with all the churches believes that we can fight this pandemic only by uniting and addressing it together as one nation and not by dividing it into any lines.

The statement issued by Fr Lawrence D'Souza, diocesan council member, diocese of Brahmavar, The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.