Manimooli: A massive protest demonstration took place at Christ King Forona Church in Manimooli under the banner of Udayagiri Parishad, voicing strong opposition to the arrest of Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethi Maria members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate who were detained by Chhattisgarh police under dubious human trafficking charges. The event, organized in collaboration with several Catholic lay organizations, served as both a public condemnation of the alleged injustice and a show of unshakable solidarity with the imprisoned sisters.
The protest began with a solemn gathering of parishioners and faith-based groups who denounced the actions taken by authorities in Chhattisgarh as a direct attack on Christian missionary service and religious freedom. The demonstrators accused the state of targeting the sisters with fabricated charges, thereby weaponizing the law to vilify those serving the poor and marginalized. The protest was officially inaugurated by Parish Vicar Fr. Benny Muthirakalla, who called the arrest a "wound on the conscience of secular India."
In his keynote address, Justin Lucas Neelamparambil, Secretary of the Mananthavady Diocese KCYM, powerfully articulated the deep concern felt across the Catholic community. He stated that the arrest of the nuns was not an isolated event but part of a larger trend of religious intolerance and systemic suppression of Christian missionaries. “This is not just about two sisters — this is about the soul of justice in this country,” he said.
The protest drew participation from a wide cross-section of church organizations and lay members. Active support came from the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), Cherupushpa Mission League, All Kerala Catholic Congress (AKCC), Matruvedi, Pitruvedi, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the Social Welfare Service (SWS) Unit. Parishioners joined hands with them in a united call for justice and the immediate release of the sisters.
Assistant Vicar Fr. Amal Mulanggattil also addressed the gathering, condemning the false narrative being spun around the nuns and asserting that missionary work must not be criminalized under the guise of legal procedure. He emphasized that such intimidation tactics will only strengthen the community’s resolve to stand for truth and service.
The protest was further energized by the leadership of local figures and handloom workers, including Aneesh Moolayil, Aneesh Vidhuvettikal, Jojo Arakanellissery, and Sojan Karukapalli, who symbolized the unity of the working class and faith communities in resisting injustice.
With slogans, prayers, and placards calling for dignity, truth, and the protection of religious freedom, the demonstration sent a strong and clear message: the Catholic community will not remain silent when its innocent members are targeted, and its right to faith and service is challenged.