Kerala nuns' arrest triggers political slugfest; Chhattisgarh CM justifies action

The arrest of two Catholic nuns, hailing from Kerala, in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion triggered a political slugfest on Monday, 28 July, with Congress and CPI(M) criticising their arrest and Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai accusing the parties of politicising the issue.

Defending the arrest, Sai also said he was concerned about the safety of "our daughters of Bastar."

Amid mounting protests in Kerala by both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF over the arrest of the nuns, Rahul Gandhi alleged that they were jailed in Chhattisgarh because of their faith and claimed that a "systematic persecution" of minorities was taking place wherever the BJP was in power.

Congress general secretary Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi also strongly criticised the arrest of nuns, terming it an attack on the rights of minorities in the country.

Noting that religious freedom is a constitutional right, Rahul Gandhi demanded the immediate release of the nuns and accountability for the injustice committed against them. "Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith - this isn't justice, it's BJP-RSS mob rule. It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith - this isn’t justice, it’s BJP-RSS mob rule.

It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime.

UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent.… https://t.co/as67WaLmdV

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2025

Rahul Gandhi, UDF MPs seek immediate release of nuns held in Chhattisgarh

"UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent. Religious freedom is a constitutional right. We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice," the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha also said.

Nuns Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, as well as a third person identified as Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested from Durg railway station on 25 July following a complaint from a local Bajrang Dal functionary, who accused them of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them, a railway police official had said on Sunday.

Priyanka Gandhi, in a statement issued by her Wayanad office alleged: "This is not an isolated incident. Under BJP rule, minorities are being continuously persecuted and humiliated."

Meanwhile, in a post on X, Sai justified the police action against the nuns, saying, "three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training followed by jobs. A person from Narayanpur handed them over to two nuns at Durg station, who were taking the daughters to Agra. An attempt was being made to convert them by human trafficking by luring them."

"This is a serious matter related to the safety of women. The investigation is still ongoing in this matter. The case is sub-judice, and the law will take its own course. Chhattisgarh is a peace-loving state where people of all religions and communities live in harmony. It is very unfortunate to politicise the issue related to the safety of our daughters of Bastar," the chief minister asserted.

Responding to Sai, Congress leader K.C. Venugopal said instead of arresting the "Bajrang Dal goons, the Chhattisgarh CM is endorsing them and insulting the innocent nuns who were carrying out social work among the poor. "

"This goes to show how the BJP is nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing - pretending to be inclusive, while vilifying and targeting minorities in reality. This is a warning for every single community that has been given false assurances of support and welfare by the BJP - they will come after you and everyone that does not fit their agenda of hate," he said in a post on X.

I strongly condemn the shocking incident at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 25. The detention of two Christian nuns—Sister Vandanha and Sister Preethi—along with others, without legal basis and on false allegations of conversion and trafficking, is a grave attack on…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 28, 2025

In the Parliament complex, a group of UDF MPs, including Venugopal, RSP's NK Premchandran and IUML's ET Mohammed Basheer, protested in front of the Makar Dwar steps, before the start of the day's proceedings. They carried posters like 'Stop attacks on minorities' and demanded action against those behind the arrest of nuns.

The BJP's Kerala unit, which has been working to expand its support base in the southern state -- particularly among the influential Syro-Malabar Catholic Church -- ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, responded defensively. Kerala BJP vice-president Shaun George told reporters that the party's state unit and central leadership had taken adequate steps to ensure that the nuns would not face any further difficulties, provided they had done nothing wrong.

"The offices of the Prime Minister and the Home minister have intervened in the matter in recent days. We have also been in frequent contact with the nuns' family members in the state. We hope that they will receive justice at the earliest," he said. "A team led by Anoop Antony will be travelling to Chhattisgarh," the BJP said.

The BJP's move came after two Kerala Ministers, P. Rajeev and Roshy Augustine, visited the family of nun Preethi, one of the nuns arrested by the Chhattisgarh police. They visited the family here as directed by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to offer them the full support of the Left government. A Congress delegation, led by leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and UDF MLAs, also visited the nun's family to express their solidarity.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC), an influential body of the Catholic church in the state, strongly condemned the arrest of nuns, calling it a painful and unacceptable incident, and urged the Centre to take justifiable action.