NEW DELHI: The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has urged the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to take up with the appropriate authorities the “unconstitutional” demand of the National Commission for Women (NCW) to abolish the practice of “confessions” in the churches.

In its report on two sex scandals in Kerala churches, the NCW had recommended that the Centre should abolish the “practice of confessions in churches as it can lead to blackmailing of women”.

In a letter to NCM member-secretary George Kurian, KCBC, said, “ We strongly feel the recommendation is unwarranted and intended to tarnish the credibility of the church. It is unfortunate that people in responsible positions of the government make such statements which deeply wound the religious sentiments of the Christian community.”

When contacted by TOI, NCW acting chief Rekha Sharma said she has submitted her report to the government and she was not willing to have a debate on the matter.

KCBC president and Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram M Soosa Pakiam said, “The Catholic Churchhas a two-thousand-year-old history of sanctity in keeping the seal of confession even at the cost of lives and reputation of priests.”

“A recommendation by the chairperson of the women’s commission to ban the Christian practice of confession is beyond her portfolio and is unconstitutional,” the KCBC statement said.

NCW’s recommendation is “shocking not only for Christians but all those who believe in freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution”, Varghese Vallikkatt, deputy secretary general and KCBC spokesperson said.

