The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has strongly opposed the National Commission for Women's (NCW) recommendation for abolishing the practice of confessions in churches, saying it was an integral part of Christianity and cannot be interfered with.

The assertion by the NCM comes a day after the NCW chief Rekha Sharma recommended the ban saying the practice can lead to blackmailing of women. Sharma made the recommendation after allegations against four priests of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala of using a married woman's confession to sexually abuse her came to light last month.