Kerala’s Temple Affairs Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Monday said that the state government will soon take strict action against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for allegedly turning temples into its shakhas and storing weapons there. The minister took to social media to publicly accuse the RSS of conducting arms training in temples and keeping devotees away, reported The Hindu.

He said, "Such anti-social activities will destroy the secular nature and peaceful environment of the state," and added that the government will not permit such activities. "Temples are centres of tradition and beliefs. Steps should be taken to remove the misgivings among the people."

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which regards the RSS as its ideological mentor, rejected all the allegations. Instead, it criticised the ruling Left Democratic Front for maintaining an “anti-Hindu” stance. Party state president Kummanam Rajasekharan asked the temple affairs minister to reveal “in which temple the RSS is conducting its shakha”.