CBCI, Oppn parties slam arrest of two nuns by Chhattisgarh Police

Thiruvananthapuram, July 28 The president of the Catholics Bishop Conference of India ( CBCI) Reverend Andrews Thazhath, who is also the Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur, on Monday slammed the Chhattisgarh Police for arresting two nuns from Kerala and a man on accusations of alleged human trafficking and religious conversion by the Bajrang Dal.

“This has happened in a country where freedom of religion is allowed and hence this act should be seen very seriously. The nuns were attacked by the Bajrang Dal activists and none should forget that nuns always stand and work for the uplift of the downtrodden,” said Thazhath.

“Irrespective of whoever governs the country, the freedom of religion should be protected and upheld. Incidentally across the country at some places Christians are living in a state of fear. We have already brought this to the attention of our Prime Minister Modi,” added Thazhath.

On Monday, lawmakers from Kerala, barring the BJP, brought the issue of the harassment of the nuns and their arrest, to the attention of the House by way of a notice for an adjournment motion, but it was disallowed.

Thazhath however thanked the lawmakers for raising this issue in the Parliament.

The nuns, Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis attached to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a congregation under the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district, were working at a hospital in Agra.

On Saturday, the two nuns and the man, identified as Sukhman Mandavi, were accompanying three women from Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district to Agra, where they had been offered jobs of kitchen helpers at a Convent.

At the railway station they were accosted by Bajrang Dal activists and the police also arrived on the scene.

Both the nuns and the man were soon taken into custody and later produced before a local court which sent them to judicial custody.

Close relatives of the two nuns are aghast at this act of jailing the hapless nuns whose only interest was the welfare of the downtrodden girls.

“This should not be seen as a one off incident, as we have been told that things do not augur well now in certain places in North India,” said the family of the nuns.

The CPI-M state secretariat in a statement condemned the Chhattisgarh Police and the Railway officials and accused them of dancing to the tunes of Bajrang Dal activists.

“This issue should not just be seen as a Christian issue but also a gross violation of the Constitution as this is nothing but an intrusion on minority rights. There is every right not just to practice religion but also propagate it. Grave charges have been slapped on the arrested, this is in no way acceptable,” read the CPI-M statement.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said he had just spoken to the aged parents of one of the arrested nuns.

“This incident is not just a one off incident as incidence of attacking Christian nuns and priests in several states in North India are increasing by the day. It has come to a stage when Christian priests and nuns cannot even wear their official dress for fear of being attacked. This has to end quickly and authorities have to do the needful,” said Satheesan.

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, George Kurian, said that since the matter was sub judice and he was a Minister, he would not make any comment on the issue.

Kerala state BJP vice-president Shone George said, “I will say that let the court take the call and if the nuns are innocent, we have made all arrangement to ensure they are safely taken back to their respective places.”

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