Kochi: In a significant and assertive move, the Catholic Congress has released a Rights Protection Pamphlet calling for urgent safeguards for the Christian community in India. The document comes amid what the organization described as a period of growing marginalization, misrepresentation, and systemic neglect faced by Christians across various sectors of society.
The pamphlet, titled “Christian Rights Protection Memorial 2K25,” outlines a comprehensive list of 18 key demands addressing social, political, educational, and environmental concerns. The Congress said it was compelled to take this step following “an unusual and painful situation” in which the Christian community was forced to publicly assert its rights before the nation’s rulers.
The Catholic Congress underscored that civil and religious rights must be safeguarded and warned against conscious attempts to undermine the Christian community’s freedoms. The organization demanded that India’s constitutional promise of secularism be upheld and insisted that directive principles must never contradict fundamental rights.
The first section of the pamphlet calls for protection of secularism and the Constitution while demanding action against the misuse of anti-conversion laws. It further urges the central government to end the persecution of Christians in various parts of the country and to stop policies that undermine reservation benefits for those who have converted to Christianity.
Among the most prominent demands is a call for national-level recognition of Christians as a micro-minority. The Catholic Congress asserts that such status would enable targeted protection and equitable representation in all sectors, from education to governance. The group has also urged the government to publish the J.B. Koshy Commission Report a long-delayed study on the socio-economic backwardness of Kerala’s Christian population and to implement its recommendations immediately.
The pamphlet highlights deep disparities in higher education and minority welfare, including the state’s handling of scholarships. The Congress strongly criticized the Kerala government for appealing against the High Court’s 80:20 verdict on minority scholarship distribution, which the court had ruled should be allocated in proportion to population size. The organization demanded that the government withdraw its appeal and restore justice for minority students.
In the context of reservations, the Catholic Congress called for fair reform of the financial criteria for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), ensuring parity with OBC categories. It also urged the government to end religious and caste-based discrimination within reservation policies and ensure that deserving EWS candidates receive certificates without bias.
The Congress took a strong stance on environmental and agricultural issues, arguing that forest and wildlife laws were being used as tools to harass farmers and settlers in hilly regions. The pamphlet demanded immediate solutions to issues surrounding Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA), buffer zones, and forest encroachments, insisting that environmental protection must be people-friendly and locally participatory.
It further called for amendments to the Forest and Wildlife Protection Acts, the repeal of the 2023 Forest Vesting and Assignment Amendment Act, and the eradication of wild boars that have devastated crops in several districts. The Congress accused the Forest Department of “overreach and encroachment” into revenue lands, bypassing even Supreme Court judgments.
The pamphlet paints a grim picture of Kerala’s agricultural crisis, describing it as a “sector on the brink of economic collapse.” It urges the government to bring an agricultural budget, introduce price protection schemes, and ensure fair pricing for rubber and paddy. The Congress also demanded large-scale subsidies for food producers, and government intervention in marketing farm produce to prevent farmer suicides.
The Catholic Congress raised serious concerns about anti-Christian distortions in textbooks. It called for immediate revision of educational content and the inclusion of Christian contributions to India and Kerala in school curricula. The pamphlet proposes creating a State Migration History Museum to honor the legacy of the Malabar and high-range Christian migrations that shaped modern Kerala’s development.
Addressing the rights of minority educational institutions, the Catholic Congress demanded the restoration of the 20% community quota in aided colleges and the provision of grants and maintenance support for minority schools similar to government institutions. It also opposed government interference in teacher appointments, particularly those under the differently-abled quota, calling it an “unconstitutional encroachment” on minority rights.
The pamphlet concludes with a call for strict measures against extremism, terrorism, and the drug menace, advocating for unity between religious and political systems to protect the nation from “destructive forces.” In a controversial statement, it also suggested controlling the stray dog population “by using them as food for wild animals,” framing it as part of a wider ecological balance initiative.
Through its Rights Protection Pamphlet, the Catholic Congress has made a bold declaration asserting that the Christian community’s rights, identity, and contributions must not be undermined in a democratic and secular India. The document reflects growing concerns among Christians about diminishing representation, policy discrimination, and historical erasure.
As the organization prepares to submit its demands to state and national authorities, the Catholic Congress has made one message clear: the protection of Christian rights is not a favor it is a constitutional duty.