Kalpetta: In an extraordinary surge of collective conscience, the faithful across Wayanad district from Kalpetta to Thavinjal, and Manimooli have risen in protest against the unjust arrest of two Malayali Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh. The incidents, which have sent shockwaves through the Christian community, are being widely condemned as blatant attacks on religious freedom and humanitarian service, masked as legal action under controversial charges of human trafficking and forced conversion.
A poignant torchlight procession in Kalpetta led by the Catholic Congress unit, parish council, and other lay organizations transformed the streets into a corridor of conscience. Inaugurating the protest, Kalpetta Forona Vicar Fr. Johnny Perumattikunnil criticized the disturbing trend of targeting missionaries. “If compassion is a crime, then these nuns are guilty of sainthood,” he declared, as torches were lit to symbolize truth amidst rising intolerance.
Fr. Joby Mukkat Kavungal, Diocesan Director of Catholic Congress, reminded the crowd of the Church’s enduring commitment: “We have faced martyrdom before and we shall rise again. The sacrifice of Sister Rani Maria still guides us.” Powerful speeches followed from Fr. Shiju Aikkarakanayil, Fr. Joseph Therakam, Sr. Ancita, Sr. CC George, and other lay leaders, all affirming their unwavering support for the detained sisters, Sr. Vandana Francis and Sr. Preeti Mary of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. The demonstrators called on the central and state governments to end their silence, retract the fabricated charges, and uphold the secular fabric of the Indian Constitution.
Thavinjal: Parishioners Stand Tall Against Injustice
In St. Mary’s Parish, Thavinjal, emotions ran high as a mass protest gathering voiced anger and sorrow. Fr. James Puthenparambil, in his inaugural address, called the arrests a travesty of justice, stating that demonizing innocent women devoted to social service is a threat to democracy itself.
KCYM Mananthavady regional president Albin Kuzhinjalil Karott opened the session with a call to unity. Parishioners including Johnny Kainikunnel, Devasya Kappalumakal, and others echoed the demand for immediate, unconditional release of the nuns and a complete withdrawal of the case. A strong warning was issued continued silence by authorities would only escalate the protests.
Manimooli: Cherupushpa Mission League Joins the Chorus
The Cherupushpa Mission League, Manimooli Regional Committee, added its voice to the growing wave of dissent. Regional President Jisha Kompanathottam presided over a protest that was deeply spiritual and politically sharp. Fr. Jainesh Puthukattil, C. Jiss Maria S.A.B.S., and other speakers condemned the arrests as violations of both human rights and constitutional guarantees.
"To accuse women of faith who have spent their lives caring for the abandoned, feeding the hungry, and educating the poor is a moral and legal collapse of epic proportions," said one speaker. The organization urged the government to uphold justice, respect religious harmony, and stop penalizing Christian institutions under the guise of law enforcement. Across these protests, one theme rang out clearly: This is not just about two nuns it’s about the very soul of the nation. Is India still a land where the Constitution protects religious minorities, or are we witnessing the slow erosion of that promise?
If feeding the hungry is misread as manipulation, and sheltering the abandoned is criminalized, then society must introspect urgently. The Catholic community, and many others standing in solidarity, have vowed to continue their struggle peacefully but persistently, refusing to allow justice to be silenced. As the torches dimmed and the hymns faded into the Wayanad night, a powerful message lingered: Truth cannot be shackled, and faith will not kneel to fear.