Such a demand is first in history of college of 72 years’; prayer room cannot be allocated, say authorities 

KOCHI: The Syro Malabar Church and Christian organizations protested against the students' detention of the principal for not allowing them to offer prayers in the rest room of Nirmala College in Muvattupuzha.

Principal Father Justin K Kuriakose responded that the demand of a section of students to allow a prayer room cannot be accepted. While talking to a media, he responded that there has never been such a demand in the history of the college of 72 years.

The aim is to spread false propaganda and create religious rivalry. Such actions should be avoided. The college will continue with the stand it has taken for so long. This is not the time to think about action against the students protesting. He said that they are students of Nirmala College and will make them understand their mistakes.

The management also announced that the prayer facility will not be arranged. Some organizations have called for a march to the campus today against this. Christian organizations said that they will resist this and will not accept the incident of detaining the principal.

The protests in the college were held under the leadership of SFI and MSF organizations. Meantime, state president K Anushree and secretary P M Arsho informed that the campaign that SFI had started a strike demanding prayer facilities in the college is untrue.

The reason for the protest was that the college authorities stopped a few newly admitted Muslim female students from offering prayers in the restroom. Their demand was that the girls should be allowed to pray in the college as they were not allowed in the mosque near the college. As they did not accept this, the principal was detained in the room by the students including SFI. The college authorities had informed that if they give a letter that they are going to pray, their time will be relaxed so that the attendance is not affected.

Religious, communal invasion: Syro-Malabar Church
Syro Malabar Sabha said the Nirmala College incident is a new example of planned religious and communal invasion against Christian institutions. Church Public Affairs Commission Chairman Bishop Thomas Tharayil said in a press release that attempts to destabilize Christian institutions will be strongly resisted. The untoward incident at Nirmala College, an autonomous institution that maintains excellent standards in the field of higher education, will disrupt the academic atmosphere. It is worrying that two student body units have taken the lead in tarnishing the college atmosphere by raising a demand that is not legally or morally valid. The conspiracy and motives behind this should be investigated. The church also demanded that the government prepare to provide protection to the college and the authorities including the principal to avoid further untoward situations.