After Muslim Property, Is RSS Targeting Christian Assets?

After Waqf Amendment, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Claims Catholics Have More Land

April 6, 2025

A Catholic church in Goa

An article in Organiser, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) official publication, has claimed that the Catholic Church is India’s largest non-governmental landowner, surpassing even the Muslim Waqf Board. The assertion has triggered concerns that after targeting Muslim property through the recent Waqf Amendment Bill, the RSS might now focus on Christian properties.

The article titled “Who has more land in India? The Catholic Church vs Waqf Board Debate,” which appeared online briefly on April 3, estimated the Catholic Church’s landholdings at about 70 million (7 crore) hectares, valued around 200 billion (20,000 crore) rupees, as reported by The Telegraph.

Although the article was subsequently withdrawn, it stated clearly that the Catholic Church holds significantly more land across India compared to the Waqf Board, which manages properties dedicated to Islamic charitable, religious, or educational causes.

According to the article, much of the Catholic Church’s land was acquired during British colonial rule, aided significantly by the Indian Church Act of 1927. The British legislation facilitated large-scale land grants to church authorities, dramatically expanding their property holdings in India. In 1965, the Indian government attempted to revoke recognition of lands leased under British administration, declaring they would no longer qualify as church-owned property. However, the article claimed lax enforcement, resulting in unresolved ownership issues that persist today.

However, the Indian Church Act was primarily a legal framework to reorganise the “Church of England” denomination in India following its separation from the Church of England in Britain. It did not, in itself, confer land or facilitate new grants to the Catholic Church. Moreover, many Catholic institutions acquired land through donations, long-term leases, or purchases from individuals and local rulers well before and after colonial rule.

The 1965 government circular regarding leasehold lands lacked the force of law and was not universally applicable; its enforcement depended on state-level decisions and individual case scrutiny. The claim of “unresolved ownership” therefore generalises what are, in fact, legally varied and often litigated cases, many of which involve established titles.

The RSS publication further said that as of 2012, church institutions managed 2,457 hospital dispensaries, 240 medical or nursing colleges, 28 general colleges, five engineering colleges, 3,765 secondary schools, 7,319 primary schools, and 3,187 nursery schools across the country.

The article also alleged, without verifiable proof, that church-operated educational and medical institutions often lure economically disadvantaged populations by offering free or subsidised services, subsequently pressuring them to convert to Christianity – a claim rooted in Hindu nationalist propaganda that has long fuelled attacks on the Christian minority.

Responding to the Organiser’s claims, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on social media that the recent Waqf Amendment Bill—legislation that imposes greater government control over Muslim Waqf properties—has established a dangerous precedent for targeting other religious minorities. Gandhi noted that the RSS’s shift toward scrutinising Christian landholdings occurred shortly after the controversial bill’s approval.

Gandhi’s stance resonated with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who criticised the article as indicative of the Sangh Parivar’s systematic and gradual efforts to marginalise minorities, according to Deccan Herald. Vijayan urged secular forces to unite against what he described as a deliberate strategy of isolating minority communities and their institutions.

The Waqf Amendment Bill permits non-Muslim participation in Waqf Boards, restricting property donations, and altering the operational framework of Waqf tribunals.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that several Christian organisations, including the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), publicly supported the legislation.