Cong. Demands Centre's Intervention For Release Of 2 Catholic Nuns In Chhattisgarh Jail
“If the government does not act now, the situation will spiral out of control”: Congress MP K.C. Venugopal
NEW DELHI: Congress Lok Sabha members from Kerala on Wednesday demanded government intervention to secure the release of two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh for alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion. Before the start of Lok Sabha proceedings, Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, Hibi Eden, RSP MP N. K. Premchandran, and other Kerala MPs staged a protest near Parliament’s Makar Dwar, calling for the nuns’ immediate release.
During Zero Hour, Venugopal and K. Suresh described the incident as “deeply disturbing and shocking,” asserting that the nuns, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, were innocent and had been providing palliative care to cancer patients. The two nuns and social worker Sukaman Mandavi were arrested at Durg railway station on July 25 after a Bajrang Dal member accused them of forcibly converting and trafficking three girls from Narayanpur.
Venugopal alleged that the nuns were manhandled and “falsely accused” of conversion and trafficking. “These two nuns have been in jail for the last five days without any reason. What cruelty is this? Is our country a banana republic?” he asked, noting that appeals to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and the Union home minister had been met with the same Bajrang Dal narrative.
“If the government does not act now, the situation will spiral out of control,” Venugopal warned. “Agitation is spreading across Kerala. The government must intervene, provide a clear answer, and release the nuns immediately.”
Suresh also condemned the arrests, and Congress members entered the well of the House demanding the nuns’ release. Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remained standing in their seats in protest.
Earlier, Priyanka Gandhi criticised the BJP over alleged atrocities on minorities. “These nuns were very badly ill‑treated and accused of things they did not do. They were manhandled and then taken away by Chhattisgarh police. We are protesting such attacks on minorities,” she said. She accused the government of prioritising publicity and PR over concrete action, and stressed that it was the opposition’s duty to pressure the government until the nuns are freed.