Denying the charges however, the church parish told NDTV they have not refused to conduct the wedding.
Thrissur:
For a 29-year-old groom-to-be, the preparations for a wedding can be daunting. But for Sanju T Raphael, adding to the hassle is a fight for his big day - not with his family but against the church, he claims.
"I have been a victim of intolerance. The church, which earlier agreed to conduct my wedding on January 3, has said they will not allow it till my family takes back a case against them over bursting of crackers," he said.
According to Mr Raphael, because of a 2014 case in which his family along with other petitioners challenged the church for allegedly violating Supreme Court's rules over firecrackers, his wedding has run into protests by locals purportedly provoked by the church.
"There are protest marches held in front of my house almost every week. This at a time my parents were a lone here and I was in Bangalore. Small children are holding placards against me and my wedding," he said.
Denying the charges however, the church parish told NDTV they have not refused to conduct the wedding.
"It is incorrect to say that we threatened to not conduct the wedding. The protests are from the locals who are against the family, and the protests have not been organised by the church. It was our advice that they should reconcile with the parish locals. The church will not be a hindrance to the wedding," Father Mathew Kuttikttayil, Vice Chancellor, Thrissur Archdiocese.
But unconvinced by their word, Mr Raphael has taken to social media, slamming the church in a post that has been widely shared and also sought legal recourse.
"I have been a victim of intolerance. The church, which earlier agreed to conduct my wedding on January 3, has said they will not allow it till my family takes back a case against them over bursting of crackers," he said.
According to Mr Raphael, because of a 2014 case in which his family along with other petitioners challenged the church for allegedly violating Supreme Court's rules over firecrackers, his wedding has run into protests by locals purportedly provoked by the church.
"There are protest marches held in front of my house almost every week. This at a time my parents were a lone here and I was in Bangalore. Small children are holding placards against me and my wedding," he said.
Denying the charges however, the church parish told NDTV they have not refused to conduct the wedding.
"It is incorrect to say that we threatened to not conduct the wedding. The protests are from the locals who are against the family, and the protests have not been organised by the church. It was our advice that they should reconcile with the parish locals. The church will not be a hindrance to the wedding," Father Mathew Kuttikttayil, Vice Chancellor, Thrissur Archdiocese.
But unconvinced by their word, Mr Raphael has taken to social media, slamming the church in a post that has been widely shared and also sought legal recourse.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
