Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 6: An article published in Organiser, the ideological mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has stirred controversy for discussing the extent of land ownership by the Catholic Church in India. The piece drew criticism from several political leaders, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who accused the RSS of targeting minority communities.

Reacting to the article, Vijayan said it revealed a broader plan to marginalise minorities. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote, “The article in the RSS mouthpiece @eOrganiser about the Church's ownership of land, published soon after the Waqf Amendment Act was passed, lays bare the Sangh Parivar's deep-rooted antagonism towards minorities. Though later withdrawn, it reveals a deliberate, step-by-step attempt to target and isolate minorities and their institutions.”

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also raised concerns, saying the article confirmed his fears about the Waqf Amendment Bill setting a precedent to target other communities.

“I had said that the Waqf Bill attacks Muslims now but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future. It didn’t take long for the RSS to turn its attention to Christians,” Gandhi said in a post on X, sharing a news report related to the article.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also condemned the article, calling it “highly deplorable.” He said the focus on the Catholic Church’s landholdings appeared to be linked to the recent passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill, which grants the government more control over Waqf properties.

“The article clearly mentions that the Catholic community in India has seven crore acres in their hands. Through the Waqf Bill, they want to control the Waqf properties. The next step will be to control the properties owned by the Catholic community,” Chennithala said.

The Waqf Amendment Bill, which was recently passed by both Houses of Parliament and received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu, aims to improve transparency and management of Waqf properties. However, opposition parties argue that it is part of a wider strategy to interfere with religious institutions belonging to minority communities.

The article in Organiser has since been withdrawn, but it has already intensified political debate around minority rights and institutional autonomy.