New Delhi: Following the passage of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Indian Parliament, the Sangh Parivar is turning its attention to the Catholic Church’s extensive land holdings in India. An article on the web portal of Organiser, a magazine linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has indirectly encouraged the government to scrutinize the land owned by Catholic institutions nationwide.

The article, titled “Who has more land in India? The Catholic Church vs Waqf Board Debate,” asserts that Catholic entities own close to 7 crore hectares of land, identifying the Church as India’s “largest non-governmental landowner.” It raises issues concerning the transparency and regulation of these holdings, paralleling the arguments used to support the recent amendments to the Waqf Act.

While the piece does not explicitly call for legislative measures or an official probe, its release suggests a strategic shift in focus by the Sangh Parivar. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, seen by critics as a means to bolster government control over Muslim religious endowments, has already ignited discussions on religious property rights and community autonomy.

The narrative may be setting the stage for future calls to examine land held by Christian institutions, notably the Catholic Church, which operates numerous schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations across the country.

This development arises amid increasing apprehension among minority communities about perceived targeting through legislative and administrative avenues. Critics caution that such narratives could exacerbate existing communal divides within India.