Arrest of nuns: UDF targets BJP's Christian outreach bid
Opposition leader V D Satheeshan visited the house of Sister Preethy Mary, one of the arrested nuns, in Angamaly and strongly criticised Sangh Parivar. "The nuns were arrested and remanded by police without any substantial reason. Such incidents are occurring across the country. Clergy and nuns are being continuously attacked. Previously, numerous incidents were reported in states like Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, governed by BJP.
While these attacks are happening nationwide, hypocrisy is evident in Kerala. People come with cakes for Easter and Christmas like wolves in sheep's clothing," said Satheeshan, hinting at BJP's outreach programme of visiting Christian houses.
Demanding the nuns' immediate release, Satheeshan alleged that Sangh Parivar was trying to exploit divisions among people for political gain by turning them into enemies.
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"The nuns' arrest is not an isolated incident; it is repeatedly occurring. The issue was raised in Parliament. Christians are being attacked nationwide. Notices have been issued in Assam demanding the removal of pictures and statues from Christian schools," he said.
Meanwhile, MPs from Kerala staged a protest in Parliament on Monday, demanding the nuns' release. "Nuns were targeted by a violent mob despite no wrongdoing.
The BJP-RSS ecosystem treats all minorities as criminals. Lumpen elements are unleashed to intimidate fellow citizens practising their faith. This jugalbandi between Bajrang Dal goons and Chhattisgarh police shows BJP's real intent towards religious minorities.
We demand their immediate release and justice for the innocent nuns," said K C Venugopal, MP.
Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X that she strongly condemned the shocking incident at Durg railway station.
"The detention of two Christian nuns—Sister Vandhana and Sister Preethi—along with others, without legal basis and on false allegations of conversion and trafficking, is a grave attack on minority rights. This is not an isolated case — under BJP rule, minorities are being systematically harassed and vilified.
Mob justice and communal targeting have no place in our democracy. The rule of law must prevail," she said.
Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the Catholic nuns being jailed in Chhattisgarh was not justice but BJP-RSS mob rule. IUML state president Sadiqali Shihab Thangal said the nuns' arrest is a violation of religious freedom.
Congress in Ernakulam has decided to organise block-level protest programmes across the district in the coming days.
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