Shillong Catholic Leaders Condemn ‘False’ Arrest of Nuns, Demand Action from Chhattisgarh CM
An association representing Catholic Christians in Shillong, Meghalaya, has reached out to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai regarding the arrest of two nuns for alleged involvement in human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The group describes these charges as “baseless” and “falsely framed.”
On July 25, nuns Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were taken into custody by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh. This followed a complaint from a member of the Bajrang Dal, who claimed they had forcibly converted three women from Narayanpur district, which has a significant tribal population, and trafficked them.
The Catholic Association of Shillong (CAS), led by former Congress MP Vincent H. Pala, asserted that the individuals arrested were simply “accompanying three young women, all above 18 years of age, with the full consent of their parents, for job opportunities.”
In their letter, the association emphasized that the work carried out by the nuns is aimed at serving humanity, transcending distinctions of caste, creed, or religion, and they believe such actions contribute to national growth and development.
The organization further alleged that the arrests were motivated by communal bias and instigated by the Bajrang Dal, lacking in credible evidence. They termed the incident a “violation of constitutional rights” and called upon the Chief Minister for their “immediate and unconditional release.”
“The charges against them were baseless and falsely framed,” they reiterated, urging authorities to safeguard minority rights and prevent the misuse of anti-conversion laws.
Additionally, they highlighted that the nuns belong to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, condemning the situation as an “act of harassment.” The association maintains that such actions infringe on the rights of minorities to practice their faith and engage in social work without the threat of persecution.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/shillong-catholic-body-slams-false-arrest-of-nuns-urges-chhattisgarh-cms-intervention-1253528-2025-07-31?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-07-31 11:44:00
