CBCI seeks PM’s intervention in nuns arrest case, Bajrang Dal likely to be behind act

RAIPUR: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) demanded the intervention of the Prime Minister and Home Minister over the arrest of two Malayali nuns for human trafficking in Chattisgarh. The CBCI said the case is concocted. A bail plea will be filed for the nuns, informed CBCI.

A spokesperson of the CBCI said the nuns were arrested by the Bajrang Dal on false allegations and demanded strong action against them as they are anti-national. The recent recurrence of violence against priests and nuns is worrying. The CBCI requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to immediately intervene in the matter.

CBCI Women's Council Secretary Sister Asha Paul responded that the girls were forced to give statements against the nuns and that the allegations that they did not have travel documents were false. The church leadership has already contacted the Prime Minister's Office. It is reported that CBCI President Andrews Thazhath, General Secretary and Delhi Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto may meet senior ministers and lodge a complaint.

Sister Vandana Francis from Udayagiri parish in Thalassery and Sister Preethi Mary from Elavoor parish in Angamaly are the nuns arrested. The police took action on a complaint from a group of people in the area. People had stopped the nuns, accusing them of human trafficking. The incident took place at Durg railway station on Friday.
The nuns working at Fatima Hospital in Agra had reached Durg railway station to take three girls for help. The girls were waiting for the nuns here. Meanwhile, the TTE arrived and asked for tickets, but the girls did not have platform tickets. When they inquired about the situation, the girls said that the nuns were coming to pick them up. However, the TTE did not believe this and informed the local activists.

People alleged that human trafficking was taking place and that the girls were being taken for forced conversion. This led to a big protest at the railway station. An assistant had accompanied the nuns. The girls said they came on their own and were going to work in a hospital. The girls also showed them consent letters from their parents and identity documents. However, the nuns were taken to the police station for further investigation. The Women's Welfare Protection Committee has taken over the protection of the girls presently.