Changanassery (AsiaNews/ICNS) – Catholic leaders and organisations have condemned the acts of vandalism visited upon Christian educational institutions by students affiliated with the Marxist Party of India (CPM).

Members of the Students' Federation of India, a student group linked to the CPI which is in power in the state of Kerala, smashed computers, vehicles, doors and windows of some Church-run educational institutions. Four people were arrested in relation to the incidents but were released on bail.

The violence was sparked by a temporary injunction issued by a division bench of the Kerala High Court granting private professional colleges the right to maintain last year's admission and fee structure.

The court order temporarily stops the application of the Kerala Professional Colleges Act, which, among its provisions, bans registration fees.

The law was unanimously approved by the state assembly earlier this month but is opposed by self-financing professional colleges, whose officials say violates their constitutional rights.

A final decision won't be known till next week when the Kerala High Court will address the matter.

After learning of the attacks, Mgr Joseph Powathi, archbishop of Changanassery and chairman of the Education Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, said that the incidents appear to be "an attempt to replace the rule of law with that of the jungle".

"Everybody should be ready for a compromise," he said, adding that "this vengeful reaction against a peaceful response to the anti-minority Act [. . .] is undemocratic".

Mgr Daniel Acharuparambil, archbishop of Verapoly, also expressed concern over the growing intolerance against private educational institutions in Kerala.

In his view, "attacking our educational institutions is not an answer to settle problems associated with student admissions".