Church Bill in Kerala: Who tried to control the Church Lands?

The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala are always keen to enjoy their cup of tea of spreading utter lies against RSS, BJP and all Sangh-inspired organisations. Their major, usual and pet allegations are the anti-minority stands and actions of Sangh and Sangh-inspired organisations. They deliberately do it despite having total conviction that they are wrong and were propagating false allegations. They raise the ‘Waqf’ bogey stating that the Muslims’ homes and properties would be seized and they (Muslims) would lose the right to property in Bharat. Here both LDF and UDF are in tight competition in this unholy propaganda. The same time they try to hide skeletons in their own cupboards. The very same LDF regime led by Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister and CPM supremo, tried to clip the wings of the Christian Churches in 2019. Draft Notification of the Kerala Church (Properties and Institutions) Bill 2019 was mooted by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas. The draft said, “It sought to ensure fair and transparent administration of the properties and funds of the churches in Kerala; it also sought to put an end to the maladministration by bringing the churches under the process of accounting”. These were the features of the proposed bill: The draft bill defined “Christians” as all persons who believe in the Bible and accept Jesus Christ as the only begotten son of God and baptised according to the tenets of the denominations concerned under the draft. 1. Every denomination is entitled to hold properties which includes the funds collected through membership subscriptions, offertories, donations and any other money or valuable contributions from worshippers and non worshippers. 2. Each denomination shall make regulations for the governance of the denomination, including the rules applicable to the governance of the parishes. 3. Every denomination shall keep accounts pertaining to all the properties and funds of the denomination including the expenditure from time to time. 4. Accounts of every denomination shall be subjected to annual audit by a qualified Chartered Accountant or a team of accountants selected by the denomination. The audit report will be presented at the annual meeting or in any meeting convened for that purpose. 5. Each parish is entitled to have own buildings and properties (lease them out on rent too) and if necessary to take such places on lease or licence arrangement. Parishes have to maintain accounts which are subject to audit. 6. The government shall constitute a Church Tribunal to look into disputes relating to administration or funds. The decision of this Tribunal is final. The Tribunal can either be a single member (only a current or retired District Judge) or a three member body. In other words, the Church bill of the CPM Government tried to introduce a Waqf like tribunal for managing Churches but in reality wanted to control the property and contributions made to the Churches, as they do with Temples. The Law Commission had called for a sitting at Kottayam on March 7 and 8, 2019. The Commission had invited suggestions regarding the draft. But, this meeting had been indefinitely postponed following stiff opposition from the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council (KCBC) and the Joint Christian Council. Both had warned the government that they would face dire consequences if they allow the bill to be passed. A joint council meeting was held in Changanacherry on March 7, 2019 and it was attended by the church leaders from most denominations. Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), run by Syro Malabar Church, announced protests in 32 dioceses. And, KCYM state General Secretary Bijo P Babu was reported to have told that they would send over five lakh emails, to the official email ID of the Kerala Law Reforms Commission, against draft bill; they suspected the government plans to attach properties of the Church. Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council issued a circular, signed by its chairman, Archbishop M. Soosa Pakiam, pointing out that the bill was unnecessary. He said, they suspected that the bill aimed to transfer the governing of the church properties and institutions from church authorities to the government. The KCBC circular read: “The draft bill stated that presently there is no law to handle the property of the Church. It is wrong. A better system is already in place and the Church property is handled sticking to the civil laws of the country and the laws of the Church”. The circular was read out on Sunday in all churches in the state during the mass. While the KCBC and other church organisations believed that the draft bill was absolutely wrong, there were groups of church whistleblowers and reformists who alleged that the draft of the Law Reforms Commission was actually following a soft approach. The Kerala Church Act Action Council, a reformist body, alleged that the new draft bill was an attempt to sabotage Justice VR Krishna Iyer’s draft bill of 2009 called the Kerala Christian Church Properties and Institutions Trust bill 2009. (The bill was never tabled in the Assembly). The Council’s chairman George Joseph had reportedly told the media those days that they welcomed the government’s decision to monitor the financial dealings of the churches in the state. But, he suspected that the new draft bill aimed to sabotage the 2009 draft bill”. Their main argument was that the new draft gave church denominations the freedom to frame rules and regulations regarding the governance of church properties, while the old draft stood for governance through democracy. George Joseph had added that they would submit their recommendations and complaints soon. They wanted an independent body to monitor the financial dealings of the churches to avoid conflicts”. Advocate Indulekha Joseph, a whistleblower, had written in detail to the Law Reforms Commission stating that all account statements and documents pertaining to monetary transactions regarding church properties should be brought under the ambit of Right to Information Act (RTI Act). She pointed out that counting only funds, [...]

The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front and Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala are always keen to enjoy their cup of tea of spreading utter lies against RSS, BJP and all Sangh-inspired organisations. Their major, usual and pet allegations are the anti-minority stands and actions of Sangh and Sangh-inspired organisations. They deliberately do it despite having total conviction that they are wrong and were propagating false allegations.

They raise the ‘Waqf’ bogey stating that the Muslims’ homes and properties would be seized and they (Muslims) would lose the right to property in Bharat. Here both LDF and UDF are in tight competition in this unholy propaganda.The same time they try to hide skeletons in their own cupboards.

The very same LDF regime led by Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister and CPM supremo, tried to clip the wings of the Christian Churches in 2019.Draft Notification of the Kerala Church (Properties and Institutions) Bill 2019 was mooted by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T.

Thomas. The draft said, “It sought to ensure fair and transparent administration of the properties and funds of the churches in Kerala; it also sought to put an end to the maladministration by bringing the churches under the process of accounting”.These were the features of the proposed bill:The draft bill defined “Christians” as all persons who believe in the Bible and accept Jesus Christ as the only begotten son of God and baptised according to the tenets of the denominations concerned under the draft.

1. Every denomination is entitled to hold properties which includes the funds collected through membership subscriptions, offertories, donations and any other money or valuable contributions from worshippers and non worshippers.2.

Each denomination shall make regulations for the governance of the denomination, including the rules applicable to the governance of the parishes.3. Every denomination shall keep accounts pertaining to all the properties and funds of the denomination including the expenditure from time to time.

4. Accounts of every denomination shall be subjected to annual audit by a qualified Chartered Accountant or a team of accountants selected by the denomination. The audit report will be presented at the annual meeting or in any meeting convened for that purpose.

5. Each parish is entitled to have own buildings and properties (lease them out on rent too) and if necessary to take such places on lease or licence arrangement. Parishes have to maintain accounts which are subject to audit.

6. The government shall constitute a Church Tribunal to look into disputes relating to administration or funds. The decision of this Tribunal is final.

The Tribunal can either be a single member (only a current or retired District Judge) or a three member body.In other words, the Church bill of the CPM Government tried to introduce a Waqf like tribunal for managing Churches but in reality wanted to control the property and contributions made to the Churches, as they do with Temples. The Law Commission had called for a sitting at Kottayam on March 7 and 8, 2019.

The Commission had invited suggestions regarding the draft. But, this meeting had been indefinitely postponed following stiff opposition from the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council (KCBC) and the Joint Christian Council. Both had warned the government that they would face dire consequences if they allow the bill to be passed.

A joint council meeting was held in Changanacherry on March 7, 2019 and it was attended by the church leaders from most denominations.Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), run by Syro Malabar Church, announced protests in 32 dioceses. And, KCYM state General Secretary Bijo P Babu was reported to have told that they would send over five lakh emails, to the official email ID of the Kerala Law Reforms Commission, against draft bill; they suspected the government plans to attach properties of the Church.

Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council issued a circular, signed by its chairman, Archbishop M. Soosa Pakiam, pointing out that the bill was unnecessary. He said, they suspected that the bill aimed to transfer the governing of the church properties and institutions from church authorities to the government.

The KCBC circular read: “The draft bill stated that presently there is no law to handle the property of the Church. It is wrong. A better system is already in place and the Church property is handled sticking to the civil laws of the country and the laws of the Church”.

The circular was read out on Sunday in all churches in the state during the mass.While the KCBC and other church organisations believed that the draft bill was absolutely wrong, there were groups of church whistleblowers and reformists who alleged that the draft of the Law Reforms Commission was actually following a soft approach.The Kerala Church Act Action Council, a reformist body, alleged that the new draft bill was an attempt to sabotage Justice VR Krishna Iyer’s draft bill of 2009 called the Kerala Christian Church Properties and Institutions Trust bill 2009.

(The bill was never tabled in the Assembly). The Council’s chairman George Joseph had reportedly told the media those days that they welcomed the government’s decision to monitor the financial dealings of the churches in the state. But, he suspected that the new draft bill aimed to sabotage the 2009 draft bill”.

Their main argument was that the new draft gave church denominations the freedom to frame rules and regulations regarding the governance of church properties, while the old draft stood for governance through democracy. George Joseph had added that they would submit their recommendations and complaints soon. They wanted an independent body to monitor the financial dealings of the churches to avoid conflicts”.

Advocate Indulekha Joseph, a whistleblower, had written in detail to the Law Reforms Commission stating that all account statements and documents pertaining to monetary transactions regarding church properties should be brought under the ambit of Right to Information Act (RTI Act). She pointed out that counting only funds, assets and investments of denominations are not enough, and that properties of congregations, convents, seminaries and such other institutions of priests and nuns should be included too. Indulekha said that omitting these institutions from the ambit of law would allow church authorities to amass wealth in the name of these institutions.

As the opposition came up from all sides, the Kerala government diplomatically decided to keep the Bill on back burner. At that time, the government’s plan was to keep it pending until the Lok Sabha elections are over.According to the reports, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured the Church, on March 6, 2019, that the Draft Kerala Church (Properties and Institutions) Bill 2019 would not be pursued.

The Same Vijayan assured Jacobian Church Patriarch the he will make best efforts to pass Church Bill as late as in February 2024.Now, whether the Bill was reasonable or not, it speaks out who tried to control the churches – Kerala’s Communist regime or Modi regime. It is to be remembered that when a dispute erupts regarding Church properties, it can be moved within the court of law.

On the other hand, no court could intervene in Waqf matters hence the Union Government passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025; but pseudo secularists of schools and banners attacked it stating that it is tearing the secular fabric of the country.When the Congress and CPM decided to run a fake campaign to target RSS, based on an old news report carried by various media houses including Organiser about the Church-owned property in the country, that too based on the data released by the site Catholic Matters and DNA, they forgot to tell the fact that the idea to introduce the Church Bill was mooted in 2009 and 2019 by the Kerala Government.Report by Indian Catholic Matters, which has now been deletedArticles published on various media outlets before OrganiserArticles published on various media outlets before Organiser.