Syro-Malabar Church Challenges Kesari's Claims Amid Tensions Over Religious Conversions

The Syro-Malabar Church has issued a strong rebuttal to claims made by the RSS-affiliated Malayalam publication, Kesari, which accused the church of conducting secret religious conversions. The church criticized the article for containing falsehoods and historical distortions allegedly designed to incite division and distrust among communities.

The church accused Kesari of aligning with RSS ideological positions without regard for communal harmony, emphasizing the growing number of attacks on Christian gatherings as a sign that India's secularism is under siege. It questioned why minority religious groups should be denied the same freedoms to propagate teachings and receive donations, akin to Hindu spiritual leaders.

Earlier, Kesari reported that religious conversions were revealed following the arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh, alleging that such conversions create enmity among religious communities. The Syro-Malabar Church and Kerala Catholic Bishop Council have also raised concerns over the unlawful land claims by the Waqf Board in Kerala, calling for legislative amendments to protect affected families.