Kerala CM asks departments to swiftly act on JB Koshy commission suggestions

T'puram/Kozhikode: On Tuesday, CM Pinarayi Vijayan reviewed the action taken by the govt on recommendations given by Justice JB Koshy Commission, which studied the educational, economic and social challenges faced by Christian minorities in Kerala. At the meeting, officials informed Vijayan that departments implemented 220 recommendations and sub-recommendations under the purview of 17 departments. Seven more proposals are being processed by the departments for submission to the cabinet.State govt had examined 284 recommendations and 45 sub-recommendations submitted by the commission in May 2023. Vijayan noted that departments acted swiftly on matters that could be addressed within existing laws. He directed them to take prompt decisions on issues requiring inter-departmental consultations to ensure the commission's report is implemented without delay.He also instructed officials to report recommendations that cannot be implemented and to execute feasible ones immediately. The chief secretary, departmental secretaries and other senior officials attended the meeting.Catholic Congress slams govt over delayEarlier in Kozhikode, Catholic Congress had again asked the state govt to fully implement the commission's report. In an editorial published in Deepika daily on Tuesday, global director of Catholic Congress Fr Philip Kaviyil termed the govt's failure to implement the recommendations of the report a ‘historic injustice'. Kaviyil said the outcome of the recent LSG elections should be read as a political warning to the ruling front and added that political parties must realize the message that emerged from successive elections."They should recognize that the verdict reflects a strong response to the neglect faced by Christians," he wrote, adding that the results of the last Parliament and local body polls send a message to those in power that ‘if you do not hear us, we will not listen to you'.He stressed that the community is not making unjust demands and denying what is guaranteed under the Constitution is objectionable. "Govt should have taken positions that align with social justice on education and minority rights, but that has not happened. Ground-level feedback shows that Christian communities have lost political trust in the govt. Upcoming elections are not merely a warning, but a last chance for political parties," he said.He added that no political front will be able to regain the trust of Christians without a firm commitment to implement the committee's recommendations. Catholic Congress sought a time-bound legislation and projects to ensure that the report is implemented.