The shocking and deliberate encroachment at Kalamassery Marthoma Ashram is not merely a legal transgression; it is a brazen assault on human rights, the rule of law, and social morality. The recent midnight attack on the Ashram, carried out under the cloak of darkness by seventy individuals, represents a disgraceful spectacle of organized lawlessness tolerated, if not silently endorsed, by those entrusted with safeguarding justice.
This incident, in which the sacred walls of Marthoma Bhavan were demolished, water supply and CCTV systems sabotaged, and access to the convent for ten defenseless nuns obstructed, is nothing short of a crime against humanity in its most localized form. Even more appalling is the apparent inaction of the police and local administration. The law has spoken clearly: the 2007 court decree recognized the Ashram’s ownership and issued a prohibitory injunction forbidding any intrusion. Yet, here we stand, witnessing the violation of court orders without consequence, while public authorities remain passive spectators.
Let us be blunt: if a community cannot expect the state to protect its legally recognized property, if its residents’ safety is at risk from gangs operating with impunity, then the claim that Kerala is governed by law is reduced to a hollow lie. The political leadership and law enforcement, in their failure to act decisively, have not only emboldened encroachers but also turned themselves into a laughing stock before the public eye. Justice delayed, in this case, risks justice denied and potentially incites a crisis far beyond property disputes.
It is also critical to highlight the deliberate attempt by certain factions to frame this criminal act as a communal conflict. The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) Vigilance Commission rightly condemned such narratives. The Ashram, its residents, and the Church authorities have shown commendable restraint, refusing to let provocations disrupt communal harmony. The moral high ground must be respected, yet restraint cannot substitute for justice. Misrepresentation and social media distortions cannot be allowed to mask the stark reality: this is an illegal, organized land grab against a vulnerable community.
The time for half-measures has passed. Police authorities must immediately evict the encroachers, enforce the court’s prohibitory injunction, and bring the masterminds behind this orchestrated attack to justice. Political representatives, too, must rise above complacency and perform their duty to protect citizens’ rights rather than watch silently as lawlessness festers. The Kerala administration must understand that tolerance of such audacity signals the erosion of state authority itself.
Kalamassery Marthoma Ashram is not merely a plot of land; it is a symbol of decades of dedication, faith, and lawful stewardship. To allow its destruction to continue unchallenged is to tell every citizen in Kerala that the law is negotiable and rights are dispensable. The moral and legal responsibility to act is unavoidable, and failure to do so will have consequences far greater than the boundaries of Marthoma Bhavan.
The state must act swiftly, firmly, and impartially. Justice is not optional. Lawlessness is not a tradition. And Kalamassery is very much in Kerala and it must remain under the protection of law and human dignity.
"Kalamassery Marthoma Ashram Faces Midnight Encroachment: Kerala’s Rule of Law Under Shameful Siege"