The messiah of the forsaken farmers
George Kommattam - July 2021
Bishop Mar Remigiose Maria Paul, Inchananiyil, the bishop of the Diocese of Thamarassery in Kerala, is a shepherd of a different kind. When everyone turns the deaf ear to the cries of the farmers, Bishop Remigiose reaches out to them to feel them his filial support.
Whenever he hears the helpless cries of farmers in his diocese, he leaves the Bishop house without any delay. He joins hands with the agitating farmers in their fight for their rights. No matter, whether they are in front of the collectorate, range office or in the local forest office.
Majority of his sheep depend on agriculture and that is their only livelihood. Unfortunately, they are the most neglected too. They are always in the threat of wild animals. Wild boars and elephants regularly destroy their crops. They get no compensation from the government for the crop destruction by wild animals. Their farms have become the home of wild boars. Wild animals have become a threat to their crops and even to their lives. Often they attack farmers. Unfortunately, forest officials turn a deaf ear to their pleas for protection from wild animals and compensation for the damage.
For nearly a decade, farmers are on warpath here, because they have to face wild animals who came to destroy their crops and the government officials who tries to grab their land citing proposed bufferzone report.
Of late, on July 17, he sat with the agitating farmers in front of Peruvannamuzhi Forest Office to bring attention to the plight of farmers in that area. When wild animals destroyed the crops of a farmer in Peruvannamuzhy, farmers joined together and organized dharna in front of the forest office. Bishop reached there, discussed the matter with the forest officials and minister. Finally authorities assured him that they will construct animals fencing.
Jerish Kocheril, a farmer said that our bishop is like the shepherd in the parable of bible who leaves his flock of ninety-nine sheep in order to find the one which is lost. He leaves all other responsibilities to help us and support us. We are lucky to have a bishop who feels the pain of poor and exploited farmers in the region, he added.
When government speaks against the farmers, he raises his voice. Whether it is their fight for protection from wild animals or a collectorate march to protect their land and life, Bishop Remigiose will lead them from the front. He is a shepherd unlike any other.
He said that the church will only protest through democratic and peaceful means. Our fight is for survival and is through peaceful means. “I am ready to lay down my life for the farmers” he added.
Last year, police have registered a case against him for breaking corona restrictions. The reason was that he inaugurated farmers protest demanding protection from wild animals at the Forest Range Office in Thamarassery, a town in northern Kerala. But nothing deters him from his responsibility to protect the farmers and demands justice for them.
Bishop Mar Remigiose Maria Paul Inchananiyil was born July 26, 1961 in Vettilappara, a village in Malappuram district in the state of Kerala. He was ordained priest on Dec. 12, 1987. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic diocese of Thamarassery on Jan. 15, 2010.
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