Belgaum: In a strongly worded condemnation that echoes the growing concern within the Indian Christian community, the Diocese of Belgaum has voiced grave alarm over the recent arrest of two Catholic nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh. The nuns, members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate congregation, were detained at Durg Railway Station on serious allegations of human trafficking and religious conversion. According to the diocese, the accusations are baseless and represent a dangerous and deliberate attempt to criminalize Christian missionary work in India. Bishop Derek Fernandes, leading the Belgaum Diocese, issued a formal statement condemning the arrests as “a clear violation of human dignity, religious freedom, and the constitutional rights of Indian citizens.”
Bishop Fernandes described the incident not only as unjust but as indicative of a disturbing pattern of systemic harassment targeting Christian religious personnel under the pretext of anti-conversion laws. These laws, increasingly invoked in several Indian states, have drawn criticism for being vague, selectively enforced, and often weaponized against minorities. The Bishop lamented that the two sisters, who were engaged in the noble task of accompanying underprivileged girls for educational opportunities, were instead publicly humiliated, arrested without due cause, and placed under judicial custody. “These sisters are not criminals they are caregivers, educators, and moral beacons for the communities they serve. Their arrest is not only unjust but a shameful misuse of law,” he said.
The Belgaum Diocese’s condemnation comes amid a rising national outcry over the incident. Catholic institutions and lay organizations across India have rallied in support of the detained sisters, holding protests, prayer vigils, and issuing statements demanding their immediate release. Bishop Fernandes called upon civil society, human rights groups, and the legal fraternity to take urgent notice of the situation and resist what he termed the ‘normalization of religious harassment under state patronage.’ He stressed that the incident marks not merely an attack on the nuns, but a broader assault on India’s constitutional promise of religious pluralism and minority protection. “If missionary work done in the spirit of love and service can be turned into a criminal act overnight, then we are standing at the edge of moral and democratic collapse,” he warned.
Furthermore, the Diocese urged the judiciary to intervene and ensure justice is delivered impartially and swiftly. Bishop Fernandes expressed hope that truth would prevail and reiterated the Church’s commitment to peace and non-violence, even in the face of provocation. He emphasized that while the Church will pursue all available legal avenues, it will also continue its humanitarian mission undeterred. “Our faith is not shaken. In times like these, we are reminded of the Gospel's call to be steadfast in truth and service, even when the world turns hostile,” he said.
The incident has galvanized Christian leaders beyond the borders of Chhattisgarh and Kerala. From Madhya Pradesh to Karnataka, voices are rising against the increasing vulnerability faced by religious minorities. The Diocese of Belgaum’s stand adds further momentum to the growing demand for accountability and institutional introspection within the Indian democratic framework. As the country watches the legal process unfold, the plight of these two nuns has become symbolic of a much larger struggle one between constitutional rights and creeping communalism, between service and suspicion, and between faith and fear.