Kottayam: In a scathing and deeply emotional statement, the Archdiocese of Kottayam has condemned the arrest and continued detention of Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethi Mary in Chhattisgarh, calling it an outright assault on the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. The Archdiocese termed the situation a gross miscarriage of justice and a chilling indicator of how India's democratic and secular foundations are being steadily eroded. It asserted that what is at stake is not just the personal freedom of two religious women, but the very principle of religious liberty that underpins the Indian Republic.
The Archdiocese expressed grave concern over the fact that nuns, who have dedicated their entire lives to serving the marginalized, are no longer safe to travel within the country in their religious attire. “If women who walk the path of Christ, committed to education, healing, and social upliftment, are being thrown into jail on fabricated charges, then what remains of our claim to be a free and secular democracy?” the Archdiocese questioned. It lamented that the simple act of journeying in church habit has become an object of suspicion and persecution. The statement warned that such incidents are not isolated but reflect a larger, more disturbing pattern of religious profiling, systemic prejudice, and institutional silence.
The Archdiocese called upon the Central Government and the Chhattisgarh state administration to break their calculated silence and clarify the legal and moral basis for detaining the two nuns. It sharply criticized the abuse of anti-conversion laws, which, it said, have been increasingly manipulated into tools of intimidation and state-sponsored communal vigilantism. “These laws, initially introduced under the guise of preserving religious freedom, are now being exploited to unleash a wave of hatred and fear against Christians, particularly those who serve in remote and underserved areas,” the statement read. The Archdiocese further stressed that no law should be allowed to evolve into a tool of cruelty or to justify mob actions and prejudiced legal proceedings.
Highlighting the life and mission of the imprisoned nuns, the Archdiocese described their vocation as rooted in Christian compassion, not coercion. “Sister Vandana and Sister Preethi are not criminals they are caregivers, educators, and comforters of the weak. They have stood by the sick, taught the illiterate, and served with open hearts where the state has often failed to reach. To accuse them of coercion or manipulation is not only a falsehood it is a moral crime,” the Archdiocese declared. It called out attempts to disguise communal intolerance behind legal smokescreens, stating that the real motive behind the arrests appears to be religious bias rather than any genuine concern about conversions.
The Archdiocese stood in unflinching solidarity with the two Sisters and with the entire congregation they represent. It acknowledged that the arrest had cast a long shadow over the morale of the Christian community across the country, especially among religious women whose daily ministry now risks being branded as criminal. “This is not just a legal case—it is a message being sent to every nun, every priest, and every Christian social worker in India. And that message is chilling: Your habit, your mission, your compassion can be used against you,” it warned.
The statement concluded with a powerful demand: that the false charges against the nuns be withdrawn immediately, and that the authorities responsible for this grave injustice be held accountable for violating the constitutional rights of Indian citizens. “India must decide whether it wants to stand by its secular promise or surrender to the politics of persecution. The conscience of our nation is being tested and time is running out,” the Archdiocese asserted. It called on all people of goodwill, irrespective of religion or belief, to stand up for truth and for the dignity of those who serve the weakest in society.
In its final appeal, the Archdiocese reminded the nation that injustice against one is injustice against all, and that the silence of today may become the sorrow of tomorrow. The Christian community, it declared, will not remain silent while the innocent suffer. “We are not just defending two nuns we are defending the soul of India.”