Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said on Monday that the RSS is conducting “anti-social” activities in temples by holding their shakha meetings on the premises.

The RSS is trying to set up arsenals in temples, which is alienating devotees, he wrote on Facebook.

“I have received many complaints against activities carried out by the RSS in temples. With its activities, the RSS is trying to alienate devotees from temples, which is a place of worship and traditions,” he wrote.

He also said that the RSS will not be allowed to destroy the peace and secular nature of the society and that stringent action will be taken against illegal activities based on the complaints received.

Responding to the minister’s statements, the RSS Mavelikkara General Secretary KK Anoop said that the minister was “thoroughly mistaken”.  

He refuted the minister’s statement that shakha meetings were held at temple premises and said that groups of children are taught yoga and Indian culture at the meetings conducted in only certain temples in the state.

“Those children practice yoga and sing songs that reflects our Hindu culture. How can Kadakampally Surendran say that anti-social activities are conducted at these meetings? Does he have any proof of it?” Anoop said.

He believes that comments made by the ministers as well as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the past few days should be read together to make sense of “an attempt by the government to attack our culture.”

“First the CM says government offices should not put pookkalam. Then PWD Minister G Sudhakaran says we shouldn’t light nilavilakku (lamp) at public events. A day after that, Devaswom Minister calls us anti-social elements. It is a clear attack on our traditions,” Anoop said.