The Ernakulam–Angamaly Archdiocese held a protest march on Thursday against the arrest of two Kerala nuns in Chhattisgarh, demanding their immediate release from prison.

Hundreds of priests, nuns, devotees, and members of various organisations linked to the church participated in the march, which began at St Hormis Syro-Malabar Church in Angamaly around 5 pm. The march proceeded to the St Joseph school ground where Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany inaugurated the meeting.

The Archbishop said that the mass participation of priests and nuns in the protest symbolises a cause that is rooted in truth. "Priests and nuns are not people who usually take to the streets holding flags, nor do they prefer to. But when they step out, it is for a cause rooted in truth," he said.

"Sister Preethi Mary is the beloved daughter of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, and Sister Vandana is the daughter of the Thalassery Archdiocese. Today, both of them are in prison in Chhattisgarh, victims of state-sponsored oppression, and it is in response to this grave injustice that we have united in this protest," Archbishop Pamplany added. 

Sister Preethi Mary and Sister Vandana Francis belong to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a Syro-Malabar congregation based in Alappuzha. They had been working at a hospital in Agra.

The Archbishop further added that the protests will continue until the goals are achieved. "The government must understand that Christians are people who will not take a step back until the goal is achieved when the cause is just. We should not be dismissed simply because we are a minority. It would be wise for everyone to remember that we are people who have imbibed in our spirit the strength of the Crucified One, capable of enduring anything," he said. 

The devotees who participated in the protest echoed the sentiments expressed by Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany. "This protest is against the agendas of the Sangh Parivar. At one point, they came to our homes with cake, and now they are showing their true colours. We will continue our fight until the nuns are released," a devotee told Manorama News. 

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured MPs from Kerala that all possible steps will be taken to secure the release of the nuns. He informed Kollam MP N K Premachandran that both the Union and Chhattisgarh governments will take all necessary legal measures to ensure their release.