THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Latheen Katholikka Aikya Vedi will work to ensure the defeat of UDF candidate R Selvaraj in Neyyatinkara bypoll. The decision was announced by Aikya Vedi president A James Fernandez at a press conference here on Tuesday. James Fernandez said that the decision to oppose Selvaraj was taken as the latter had prevailed upon Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to issue a new order directing village officers to issue caste certificates on the basis of certificate provided by the Church. The order was issued on April 4, 2012, days before the re-election was declared, he said. Fernandez alleged that the order had facilitated conversion of people from other castes and religions to the Latin Church merely to corner the benefits enjoyed by traditional Latin Catholic community members. ‘’The new order directs the officials not to show the traditional vocation and sub-caste of Latin Catholic community members in the caste certificate. “The order was passed by ignoring two reports presented by KIRTADS. The community has strong resentment against the order,’’ he said. Fernandez said that the Aikya Vedi was against communalism. However, he refused to clearly state that whether the organisation would extend support to the LDF candidate.
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