Attack On Nuns In Chhattisgarh Exposes True Nature Of Sangh Parivar Alleges Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
MPs delegation meets arrested nuns in Durg jail: Report
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the violence against nuns in Chhattisgarh highlighted the true nature of the Sangh Parivar. It was evident that nuns were arrested and jailed based on a false complaint filed by Bajrang Dal activists, he said.
"This is yet another example of the Sangh Parivar's attack against the Christian community. The people who visited Christian homes and Church leaders with cakes and broad smiles are hounding the nuns in the name of religious conversion and human trafficking,” Pinarayi said.
The Chief Minister said the Sangh Parivar seemed to fear the nation's pluralism and coexistence, which is why attacks on minorities were on the rise. The Prime Minister was apprised soon after the attack on nuns, and his intervention was sought in the matter. Yhe Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, among others, defended the arrest of nuns.
The Chief Minister accused the Sangh Parivar of continuing to undermine the country's secular fabric by promoting hate and divisive politics. "It is crucial to resist and defeat these assaults on minority rights and the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.
Meanwhile, a delegation of MPs from Kerala, including N. K. Premachandran, Francis George and Benny Behnan, visited the nuns in Durg jail. The MPs claimed that the nuns were poorly treated at the railway station.
The nuns informed the delegation that the three girls had their Aadhaar cards and other identity documents with them. Moreover, they were travelling with their parents' permission and were over 18 years old.
Later, there were dramatic scenes outside Durg jail as the LDF delegation was denied permission to meet the nuns, citing that visiting hours were over. The leaders were asked to return at 10 am on Wednesday.
Senior CPM leader Brinda Karat, who accompanied the MPs, including K. Radhakrishnan, Jose K. Mani, and A.A. Rahim, alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to stop the delegation from meeting the nuns and showing solidarity with them. "We will visit the jail on Wednesday and will not leave Chhattisgarh until we meet the nuns," said Karat.
The arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh has come as a major setback for the BJP Kerala unit, which was trying to woo the Christian community in the state. The party understands that the support extended by Christians in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency played a crucial role in the victory of BJP candidate Suresh Gopi, currently a Union minister.
BJP kerala president Rajeev Chandrashekar stated, "We are committed to providing assistance to ensure justice for the arrested nuns. As part of this, the BJP state general secretary is currently in Chhattisgarh.”
He mentioned that Chhattisgarh, a tribal majority state, has a law in place against religious conversions. However, the BJP state leadership firmly believes that the arrested nuns are not involved in any conversion activities, he added.
Chandrashekhar also said that the BJP state leadership had been in constant communication with the Chhattisgarh government since the issue surfaced. He emphasised that the BJP would support the nuns until they are released and justice was served.