Seizing on a row over a now-deleted article published by the RSS-linked magazine Organiser on its website, which claimed that the “Catholic Church is the largest non-governmental land owner” in the country, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday hit out at the Sangh Parivar, alleging that it has now shifted its focus to Christians after pushing the “anti-Muslim” Waqf Amendment Bill through Parliament. The article titled “Who has more land in India? The Catholic Church vs Waqf Board debate”, published on the Organiser website Thursday, claimed that the Catholic institutions held 7 crore hectares of land, making them “the largest non-governmental land owner”. The article was taken down from the website Saturday after it faced a backlash from the Opposition parties. “This land hosts numerous institutions, including churches, schools, colleges, and hospitals. The total estimated value of these properties is around Rs 20,000 crore, making the Church a significant player in India's real estate landscape,” the article claimed, adding that even the “significant land parcels” under the Waqf Boards across the states “does not surpass the holdings of the Catholic Church in India”. Giving the historical context of this land ownership, the article stated, “The Catholic Church acquired much of its land during British rule. In 1927, the British administration passed the Indian Church Act, facilitating large-scale land grants to the Church. Many of these properties were used to establish missionary institutions, schools, and religious centres. These land grants continued until India’s independence in 1947, leaving the Catholic Church with a massive portfolio of real estate across the country.” Referring to the Organiser piece, Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X, “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. The Constitution is the only shield that protects our people from such attacks – and it is our collective duty to defend it.” The article also triggered a row in Kerala, where the BJP has been working hard to woo Christians in a bid to expand its support base in the state. Kerala CM and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, in a statement, said, “The Organiser article indicated that after passing the Waqf Bill in Parliament, the Sangh Parivar is moving ahead with targeting the Catholic Church. The untimely, unnecessary reference to the wealth of the Church gives certain ominous indications. Although the article was withdrawn, it exposed the mind of the Sangh Parivar. This article exhibits the Sangh Parivar’s extreme hatred towards other religions. It should be seen as part of a larger plan to target minorities and destroy one after another.” The Organiser piece also alleged that some Christian institutions, such as missionary schools, “lure” economically weaker sections of society and convert them into Christianity. It also charged that there were instances of tribal land being gradually transferred to the Church. The article appeared to have caused some consternation in the Kerala BJP at a time when the Sangh Parivar has been highlighting the amended Waqf Bill to reach out to Christians in the state, where 600-odd families at Munambam have been fighting the Kerala Waqf Board’s claim on their land. The BJP had celebrated the enactment of the Bill, claiming it would end the woes of Munambam’s Christians. BJP national spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said, “Somebody downloaded an old article and pushed it. It was immediately cross-examined and deleted. The BJP and RSS are very close to the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has not grabbed anyone’s land. The BJP will stand with the Christians. In the Munambam land issue, only the BJP stood with the Christians. Rahul Gandhi has lost his ground and hence he is trying to create mischief. That will not succeed.” In Thiruvananthapuram, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told the media, “The article published in the Organiser is highly deplorable. During the time of the passing of the Waqf Bill, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi mentioned that the next step will be against the Christians… Through the Waqf Bill, they want to control Waqf properties. The next step will be to control the properties that are owned by the Catholic community in India.” As the controversy snowballed, the Organiser took down the article, written by Shashank Kumar Dwivedi, from its website. The magazine’s editor Prafulla Ketkar later referred to Chennithala’s statement and posted on X a new article titled: “‘Our land, not waqf’s’: 50 Kerala Christians join BJP after waqf Bill passage”. Ketkar also stated, “Instead of getting carried away by the old story, the LoP should address this issue.” However, Ketkar did not respond to calls and messages from The Indian Express, asking why the Dwivedi article was taken down.
