The Catholic Church in Kerala has issued a strong rebuke against an article published in the RSS mouthpiece, Kesari, which sharply criticized Christians. According to the Church, the controversial piece ‘lays bare the true colours’ of the Sangh Parivar.
An editorial in Deepika, the Church’s official daily, on Monday, September 15, 2025, condemned the article as ‘part of a calculated conspiracy to undermine the Constitution by targeting Christians.’ The publication further noted that the fact that a prominent Sangh Parivar leader authored the piece in an RSS publication only serves to clarify the underlying agenda.
The editorial highlighted that ‘the very communal movement which distanced itself from the freedom struggle and instead aided the British policy of division is continuing the same tactics even today.’ This statement implies a historical continuity of divisive strategies.
It elaborated, ‘Having stayed away from the Indian Independence movement and oiled the divisive machinery of the British, they still persist with the same agenda even after the nationalists drove away imperialism.’ The Church suggests that this latest provocation might be a reaction to challenges against anti-conversion laws, recently strengthened by BJP-ruled states, which are being questioned in court for their constitutionality.
Deepika‘s editorial also observed a perceived ‘double standard,’ stating that while the BJP appears to court Christian communities in Kerala with one hand, it simultaneously pursues an entirely different, divisive agenda with the other. The editorial concludes with a pointed remark that, for those who choose to ignore or feign ignorance of these contradictions, the aspirations for a theocratic state and adherence to the dictates of Manusmriti might persist unchecked.
This fierce response from the Church comes just days after Kesari published its scathing article targeting Christians. Authored by E.S. Biju, the State Vice-President of Hindu Aikya Vedi, the article boldly alleged attempts to establish a ‘Christian nation.’ This attack is particularly noteworthy as it contradicts the State BJP’s concerted efforts to foster closer ties with Christian communities in Kerala.
Titled ‘The Pathways of Global Religious Conversion’, Biju’s article emerged in the wake of the arrest of two Kerala nuns in Chhattisgarh earlier this year. It levies serious accusations against the Church and its leadership, claiming that deliberate efforts are being made across several states to manipulate the country’s legal framework to facilitate religious conversions.