THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (UCAN) -- Thousands of Christians demonstrated on Aug. 12 against educational policies in Kerala, a day after India's top Marxist leader met Catholic prelates to defuse Church-state tension in the southern Indian state.

Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), told media people on Aug. 12 that his party is willing to sort issues through negotiations and discussions.

"Our party is committed to protecting minority rights," he added, including the right of religious minorities to manage their own educational institutions. The Marxist party heads Kerala's Left Democratic Front government.

On the previous day, Karat met Syro-Malankara Major Archbishop Cleemis Mar Baselios of Trivandrum, Bishop Stanley Roman of Quilon Latin diocese and Bishop George Alencherry of Thuckalay Syro-Malabar diocese. The meeting took place at the residence of Major Archbishop Cleemis in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), 2,815 kilometers south of New Delhi.

The prelates represented the three rites that comprise the Catholic Church in India.

Meanwhile, approximately 50,000 people attended a protest rally the ecumenical Inter-Church Council organized in Kottayam, 200 kilometers north of the state capital.

Addressing the program, Church leaders anguished over the Kerala government's attempt to infringe on the rights of religious minorities to manage educational institutions. They warned of strong action if the government persists.

Metropolitan Philipose Mar Chrysostom, head of the Marthoma Church, opened the protest by stressing the need to protect minority rights to save democracy. Minority rights are "not something acquired through struggle, but are a part of the democratic system," he explained, and it is the Christians' duty to protect their rights to set up educational institutions.

The metropolitan, whose Church is an offshoot of the Kerala-based Orthodox Church in India, urged the government to resolve the problem by respecting democracy, especially as the nation celebrates 60 years of independence.

In his keynote address, retired Archbishop Joseph Powathil of Changanacherry, a council chairperson, charged that the state government and ruling parties are imposing their agenda on the education sector.

India's religious minority groups have a fundamental right to manage educational institutions, Archbishop Powathil asserted. Christians, he added, will not tolerate any infringement on minority rights, or interference in the management of government-aided schools. He called for sincere efforts to resolve the issue.

Violence marred the rally when demonstrators attacked media people and stoned Kottayam's Press Club. Four cameramen were injured.

Church leaders addressing the rally pleaded for restraint, and asked participants to avoid abusive slogans against state Education Minister M.A. Baby and other communist leaders. The rally lasted three hours and ended at the city's main ground.

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan told UCA News he would fix a convenient date for discussions with Church leaders. "We are open to discussions to sort out issues," the 84-year-old communist leader told UCA News.

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