Nuns' arrest in Chhattisgarh sparks political outrage; Brittas calls it 'blatant misuse of law'

The arrest of two Catholic nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh’s Durg has triggered strong political reactions in the state, with both the ruling LDF and the Opposition UDF accusing the BJP of targeting minorities. CPM MP John Brittas, terming the incident a “blatant misuse of law,” demanded their immediate release.

The Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested three individuals, including the nuns — Sister Vandhana Francis and Sister Preethi — from the Durg Railway Station on July 25, following a complaint filed by a Bajrang Dal functionary. The complaint accused them of trafficking and forced religious conversion of three girls from Narayanpur. All six, including a man accompanying the group, were taken into custody and later remanded to judicial custody.

Kerala Ministers P Rajeev and Roshy Augustine visited Preethi’s family in Kochi on Monday, conveying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s assurance of full government support. The Congress, too, sent a delegation led by Opposition Leader V D Satheesan to express solidarity.

Law Minister Rajeev condemned the arrests, saying, “Not only religious freedom, but even the Constitution itself is under threat in the country.” He urged citizens to see the incident as an attack on constitutional rights, not merely a minority issue. “Besides raising a strong protest, we are also exploring all legal avenues,” he added.

Augustine called the arrests “extremely painful” and asserted that the nuns had all valid documentation and were only engaged in legitimate missionary work. “Despite this, they were jailed based on unverified allegations,” he said.

Congress leader Satheesan claimed the arrests were part of a pattern of targeted attacks on minorities across the country. “This is aimed at creating social division and deriving political gains,” he alleged, and called for nationwide protests to counter such moves. General Education Minister V Sivankutty, meanwhile, criticised the silence of Church leaders in Kerala. “Can bishops merely offering prayers and writing editorials resolve this issue?” he asked.

CPM MP John Brittas, in a letter to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, said the arrests reflected a disturbing trend of criminalising lawful religious and social activity. "The arrest of Kerala nuns Sr. Vandhana Francis and Sr. Preethi at Durg on baseless trafficking and conversion charges is a disgrace. This is a blatant misuse of the law to target minorities. Free the nuns and stop the hate campaign against those serving society!" he posted on X.

In his letter, Brittas said the nuns had travelled from Agra to receive three adult women and a man from Jharkhand, who had come with consent to work in the convent. “There were no signs of coercion or credible evidence to suggest conversion,” he said, adding that mobile phones were confiscated and families left without official communication.

Brittas demanded an independent probe into the origin of the complaint and the involvement of right-wing groups in influencing the police action. The BJP’s Kerala unit, sensing the political sensitivity of the issue—especially given its outreach to the Syro-Malabar Church—defended its stand. BJP state vice-president Shaun George said that the Centre had already intervened. “The offices of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have taken note. We’re in touch with the families and are committed to ensuring justice if the nuns are innocent,” he said.

State BJP general secretary S Suresh claimed the incident was part of a wider anti-human trafficking operation in Chhattisgarh. “If found innocent, the nuns will be released. Full protection is already in place for Christians in the region,” he stated.

The party also announced that a delegation led by its general secretary, Anoop Antony, would travel to Chhattisgarh to assess the situation. At the same time, it accused some Kerala ministers of trying to politicise the issue for electoral gain. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church in Kerala issued a sharp rebuke to the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, stating that the arrests amounted to a violation of the country’s secular Constitution.

The family of Sister Preethi expressed concern over her safety, saying the nuns had previously shared fears about deteriorating conditions in Chhattisgarh. “She had mentioned they were afraid to move freely, but we never expected this,” a family member told reporters.

As the controversy continues, both the Left and Congress have demanded immediate legal intervention, while the BJP attempts damage control in a politically sensitive matter just months ahead of crucial Assembly elections.
(With PTI Inputs)