Kelakam: A powerful protest rally was held at Chunkakunnu Fatima Mata Church, voicing strong condemnation against the arrest of two Keralite Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh under what organizers termed as fabricated charges. The rally was jointly organized by the Cherupushpa Mission League of the Mananthavady Diocese and the KCYM Chunkakunnu region, as concerns mount over rising hostilities faced by Christians across the country.
Sisters Vandana Francis and Preethi Mary were arrested by the Durg police on July 25, following allegations of religious conversion and human trafficking, lodged by Bajrang Dal activists. The rally participants denounced the charges as baseless and politically motivated, warning that such actions threaten the very fabric of India’s secular democracy.
Ferona Vicar Fr. Paul Koutala inaugurated the protest, declaring the arrests as a blatant misuse of law and a targeted attempt to suppress the Christian community’s charitable and missionary efforts.
“This incident is not isolated but reflects a troubling trend of escalating violence and hostility toward Christians in various states,” said KCYM Mananthavady Diocesan General Secretary Vimal Kochupurackal. He emphasized that using anti-conversion laws to intimidate religious minorities is a direct assault on constitutional freedoms.
Other speakers, including Cherupushpa Mission League Diocesan Director Fr. Santosh Oravaranthara and Regional Organizer Roy Moonjanattu, echoed these concerns and called on the authorities to uphold justice, safeguard minority rights, and prevent extremist forces from spreading communal hatred.
The rally concluded with a united call for the immediate release of the arrested nuns and strong legal action against those who orchestrated the false allegations.