Durg: A delegation of LDF MPs and left leaders on Wednesday met the two Malayali nuns who were arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of religious conversion and human trafficking.

Speaking to reporters outside the Durg jail, veteran CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged that the two nuns, Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethi Mary, are being tortured in the jail. “They are not well, and they are being made to sleep on the floor,” she added.

Karat said that the nuns were arrested on the basis of “fabricated” charges. “The nuns were insulted and humiliated. Today they asked us if they were not citizens of India," she added.

Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani echoed Karat’s sentiments and said that the nuns were subjected to verbal abuses. “Bail is not enough. The FIR should be quashed and the government should apologise to the nuns,” he said.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Annie Raja alleged that once the police found that the three girls were Christians, they added human trafficking charges to trap the nuns. “The young man who was arrested with the nuns was hurled with foul abuse. The cases filed against them are illegal and unconstitutional,” she alleged.  The Left leaders were earlier denied permission to meet the nuns at the prison on Tuesday, triggering strong statements from the CPI(M) leaders. CPM General Secretary MA Baby posted on X that preventing left leaders from meeting the nuns was tantamount to suppressing the truth.