Mananthavady: Raising strong voices against what they termed a “malicious and fabricated case,” the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) of the Mananthavady Diocese staged a protest at Dwarka 4th Mile denouncing the arrest of two Keralite nuns on human trafficking charges in Chhattisgarh. The protest was a show of solidarity with the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, unjustly detained despite lack of evidence, as per protestors.
Presided over by KCYM diocesan president Bibin Pilapilli, the protest meeting was formally inaugurated by Fr. Babu Moothedath, vicar of Dwarka Forane Church. In his address, Fr. Moothedath stated, “To arrest women religious working for the upliftment of the marginalized, and to parade them under false pretenses, is not just an insult to their vocation it’s an open wound on India’s democratic fabric.”
Delivering the keynote address, former KCYM diocesan president Sajin Chalil demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Sisters Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, arrested last week in Durg, Chhattisgarh, while accompanying three young women to a hospital job in Agra. The protestors stressed that the accusations of forced religious conversion and trafficking were baseless and politically motivated.
“This is not an isolated incident. It’s a reflection of a broader agenda that seeks to criminalize Christian service and sow fear among minority communities,” Chalil said, calling on both the Union and Chhattisgarh state governments to take swift action to quash the case and ensure accountability for the harassment.
The event saw participation from multiple church and lay organizations. Renin Kazhuthadiyil, Vice President of the AKCC (All Kerala Catholic Congress) Mananthavady Diocese, and Sr. Jesse Paul SH, speaking on behalf of monastic communities, emphasized the need for the Church to remain vigilant in the face of growing religious intolerance. “This is a test of our collective resilience and our commitment to truth and justice,” they noted.
The protest witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 300 people, including priests, nuns, youth leaders, parishioners, and local residents from surrounding parishes. The KCYM Secretariat and Syndicate, along with office bearers of the Cherupushpa Mission League, AKCC, Matruvedi, and other diocesan bodies, joined hands to coordinate the event.
Duna Maria Kizhakkemannur, diocesan secretary of KCYM, welcomed the gathering and reiterated the organization's commitment to standing with those falsely accused. Placards, chants, and prayers of solidarity filled the air as participants pledged to continue their support for the nuns until justice is served.
As voices of dissent grow louder across Kerala and beyond, the Mananthavady protest becomes another chapter in the growing resistance against what many see as the misuse of legal systems to intimidate Christian workers and missionaries. The message from Dwarka 4th Mile was clear: The truth will not be silenced.