Nadavayal: A wave of anguish and resistance echoed from the Major Archiepiscopal Pilgrimage Centre in Nadavayal, Wayanad, as clergy, laity, and local faithful gathered in solidarity with the two Kerala-based nuns unjustly detained in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The protest meeting, solemn yet resolute, was a declaration of collective pain and protest against what the Church calls a grave miscarriage of justice and an escalation of targeted harassment against Christians in the country.
The meeting was inaugurated by Archpriest Fr. Gervasis Mattam, who in his address, condemned the systematic intimidation of Christian missionaries, especially women religious, under the pretext of anti-conversion laws. He warned that India’s constitutional guarantees are being eroded in the face of mob influence and state indifference.
The gathering was enriched by a series of impassioned speeches delivered by clergy and lay leaders alike. Fr. Clinton Pulikkunnel, Fr. Christy Poothakuzhi, and community voices like Tommy Chennatt, Johnny Kizhakkethundamthil, and Sunil Thamarasseryil offered strong critiques of the failure of law enforcement in Chhattisgarh to protect innocent citizens from vigilante injustice.
Sabu Nirappel, Annakutty Jose, Mercy Sabu, Vincent Cheravelil, Binu Mangkootathil, Sa G. Ittamuntakkal, and P.D. Joseph shared reflections that touched not only on the legal and humanitarian aspects of the arrests but also on the spiritual trauma and fear such actions have instilled among religious congregations across India.
The protest meeting, held amid a backdrop of growing political mobilization and legal efforts in Chhattisgarh, served as both a spiritual vigil and a civil resistance. The event emphasized the Church’s position that the nuns Sr. Vandana Francis and Sr. Preethi Mary were carrying out a humanitarian mission when they were intercepted and falsely accused by Bajrang Dal members. The fact that the girls traveling with them were not minors and were under their community’s care has been repeatedly clarified, but overlooked in the hysteria-fueled media narratives and mob-driven allegations.
The protest at Nadavayal was more than an expression of sympathy it was a public reaffirmation of the Church’s mission of service, even in the face of persecution. It also echoed a larger fear: that minority religious communities are becoming targets in an increasingly polarized socio-political climate.
Participants concluded the event by lighting candles and offering silent prayers, not just for the release of the nuns, but for justice, peace, and the continued strength to bear witness to truth in times of trial. The message from Nadavayal was loud and clear the Church will not be silenced.