The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday directed a public interest litigation petitioner, who had sought permission for Tamil fishermen to participate in the inauguration of the newly-built church at Katchatheevu, to include a Rameswaram-based priest who had reportedly chosen only 20 fishermen to participate in the thanksgiving ceremony for those who assisted in construction of the church.
A Division Bench of Justices A. Selvam and P. Kalaiyarasan gave the direction after Assistant Solicitor General G.R. Swaminathan said the 20 fishermen were selected by the Bishop in Rameswaram. It was also pointed out that the event for which permission was being sought was not a regular annual festival in which a number of Tamils participate every year, but only a thanksgiving ceremony held for those who helped in construction of the church.
The court was also told that the Jaffna diocese had extended an invitation to only 20 people from Rameswaram. After hearing the submissions, the Bench directed the petitioner’s counsel to include the Rameswaram-based priest also as one of the respondents to the case and adjourned the hearing till December 19.
