'Grand plan to destroy minorities...' Kerala CM calls out RSS over church property controversy

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday criticised an article published in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece, calling it a reflection of the "true mindset" of the right-wing organisation and its alleged "majority communalism".

In a statement from his office, the Chief Minister said that although the article was later taken down from the RSS publication’s website, it had already sent out "negative signals". Vijayan argued that it reveals a deeper agenda.

According to him, "It should be seen as part of a grand plan to target the minority groups one by one and destroy them step by step."

Opposition echoes concern

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, V D Satheesan, also condemned the article, claiming it indicates that the RSS is now focusing on the Catholic Church’s property.

Satheesan told reporters in Kozhikode that the article called for the central government to take over more than seven crore hectares of land owned by the Catholic Church. He added that the RSS had argued that this land was "illegally leased during the British era".

‘Majority communalism’ accusation

Vijayan, in his remarks, stated that the content of the article revealed the Sangh Parivar’s "intense majority communalism which is against other religious communities".

He called upon all "progressive democratic secular movements" to unite in resisting such tendencies.

Waqf Bill and church property link

Satheesan further noted that the RSS article was published on the same day the Waqf Bill was passed in Parliament.

"We warned that if the Waqf Bill is passed, the Church Bill will follow," he said.

He also accused the Sangh Parivar of showing dual behaviour by "trying to appease Christians in Kerala" while simultaneously "attacking them in the rest of the country".

Satheesan concluded by expressing hope that Christians would eventually see through what he described as a deceptive approach: "wolves in sheep’s clothing."

PTI