KOZHIKODE: Deepika, the mouthpiece of the Catholic Church, has lashed out at the BJP over the incident where two Malayali nuns were arrested in Durg, Chhattisgarh, on human trafficking charges. The editorial accused “communal forces” of holding not just the nuns but the nation’s secular Constitution captive.

The article, titled 'Not the nuns, but the secular Constitution is in captivity,' alleged that a railway official, suspecting the nuns and their companions, summoned members of religious groups for questioning. 'What followed was a mob trial by communal elements — allegations of forced conversions, charges of human trafficking, and a typical charge sheet,' the editorial stated.

Highlighting what it described as growing intolerance, the editorial stated: 'There is no one to stop them. With the blessings of the BJP government, the muted protests of the opposition, the limitations of the judiciary, and the silence of minority brokers, their — or Hindutva’s — vision of the nation is being defined.' The editorial further cited data claiming 4,316 incidents of violence against Christians between 2014 and 2024, the period of BJP rule.

The nuns arrested — Sister Vandana Francis from Thalassery and Sister Preethi Mary from Angamaly — are members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate congregation. They were taken into custody on Friday at Durg railway station while accompanying three girls for domestic employment. According to reports, Bajrang Dal activists accused them of forced religious conversion and human trafficking, alleging that one girl had not joined the trip voluntarily, and alerted the police.