CV NEWS FEED // Catholic bishops in India are countering false claims suggesting that the Catholic Church in Kerala has aligned with the Sangh Parivar, a Hindu nationalist group, to support a communal agenda against Muslims.
At the center of this controversy is the Waqf Act, a law that governs the management of religious and charitable endowments in the Muslim community. The Waqf Act of 1995 is a crucial piece of legislation in India, designed to regulate and safeguard waqf properties, which are assets permanently donated for Islamic religious or charitable use, Law for Everything explains. These properties are managed by state and central waqf boards.
Earlier this month, the government passed the Waqf Act amendment, aiming to increase transparency and accountability in how these properties are used and protected. While the amendments were framed as an administrative improvement, they sparked concerns in some quarters, particularly about their implications for minority rights and local communities dependent on waqf resources.
The New Indian Express reported that the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) openly supported the need for reform while emphasizing that any changes to the Waqf Act must protect the constitutional rights of all communities, especially religious minorities.
Father Thomas Tharayil, deputy secretary general of the KCBC, explained that the Church’s involvement was born out of concern for the people of Munambam, where local communities — many of whom are Christian — faced existential threats due to the mishandling of waqf-related property rights. The KCBC advocated for a fair and just resolution, and presented its position to the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Waqf amendment.
Despite this clarity, a wave of misinformation began to circulate. A vernacular newspaper claimed in November 2024 that the Catholic Church owns 17 crore acres of land in India — a figure grossly exaggerated and mathematically implausible. For perspective, this amount exceeds the combined land area of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
Shortly after, a similar narrative appeared in the RSS-affiliated publication Organiser, though the article was later retracted after it drew widespread criticism for inaccuracy.
Fr. Tharayil called out these distortions as deliberate attempts to belittle the Christian community, according to the New India Express.
He added, “All efforts are being made at every opportunity to belittle the Christian community and especially the Catholic Church, which had once again stood with those suffering in a completely impartial capacity.”
Rather than retreat, the KCBC is urging political, religious, and civil leaders to abandon false narratives and embrace dialogue rooted in mutual respect.
“The property acquired and used by the Waqf Board should be used for legitimate and just purposes,” wrote Fr. Tharayil. “But social unity and religious harmony should always be maintained and nurtured in this state.”
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