Nuns' arrest: Politicians welcome bail order, demand arrest of Bajrang Dal workers
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links. Following the release on bail of two Kerala nuns from a Chhattisgarh jail in a case involving allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, many politicians from Kerala welcomed the court decision. The two nuns and a co-accused were arrested from the Durg railway station on July 25 after a complaint was filed by a local Bajrang Dal member. A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bilaspur granted bail to the nuns and another co-accused on August 2. ‘We live in fear’: Chhattisgarh nuns’ arrest sparks alarm in Christian communityCommunist Party of India [CPI(M)] leader and Rajyasabha MP John Britas met the nuns and shared his happiness on X: “Met Sr Vandana Francis and Sr Preethi Mary at Vishwadeep Ashram near Infant Jesus Church in Durg after they were granted bail. Their brothers Joseph Mathew and Baiju (Angamaly) were with them. Sugman, who was brutally beaten and falsely accused of trafficking, is also now free,” he said.Met Sr. Vandana Francis & Sr. Preethi Mary at Vishwadeep Ashram near Infant Jesus Church in Durg after they were granted bail. Their brothers Joseph Mathew & Baiju (Angamaly) were with them. Sugman, who was brutally beaten & falsely accused of trafficking, is also now free. pic.twitter.com/kZRLI18Qnc— John Brittas (@JohnBrittas) August 2, 2025 Congress leader and MP KC Venugopal said the party welcomes the verdict and demanded that the First Information Report (FIR) against them be quashed immediately. He also demanded the arrest and strict punishment of the “Bajrang Dal goons” who attacked the nuns.“The court has clearly noted that the adult girls accompanying the [nuns] were not at all forced, and two of them have been followers of Christianity since childhood. This proves that the entire proceedings were trumped up, and the FIR should be quashed immediately. Further, the Bajrang Dal goons who attacked the nuns must be arrested and given the strictest punishment. The bogey of religious conversion is nothing but a dogwhistle for the BJP and its goons to attack, torment, and humiliate Christians in India. Just like how we were at the forefront of this fight for justice, the Congress will always stand with the victims of this horrible hate campaign,” he wrote on X. We welcome the Hon’ble NIA Court’s verdict giving bail to Sister Preethy and Sister Vandana who were arrested in Chhattisgarh on absolutely trumped up charges. The Court has clearly noted that the adult girls accompanying the Sisters were not at all forced, and two of them have…— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 2, 2025 Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said, “While the BJP in Chhattisgarh fans the flames of hate, Kerala BJP sheds crocodile tears. Kerala BJP’s hypocrisy is astounding. We’re not shaken by stones thrown at us, we will continue to stand firm for justice.” While #BJP in #Chhattisgarh fans the flames of hate, #KeralaBJP sheds crocodile tears. Kerala BJP’s hypocrisy is astounding.We’re not shaken by stones thrown at us—we will continue to stand firm for justice. pic.twitter.com/kz6gqQorB6— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) August 2, 2025
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FOLLOWING the release on bail of two Kerala nuns from a Chhattisgarh jail in a case involving allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, many politicians from Kerala welcomed the court decision.
The two nuns and a co-accused were arrested from the Durg railway station on July 25 after a complaint was filed by a local Bajrang Dal member. A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bilaspur granted bail to the nuns and another co-accused on August 2.
Communist Party of India [CPI(M)] leader and Rajyasabha MP John Britas met the nuns and shared his happiness on X: “Met Sr Vandana Francis and Sr Preethi Mary at Vishwadeep Ashram near Infant Jesus Church in Durg after they were granted bail. Their brothers Joseph Mathew and Baiju (Angamaly) were with them. Sugman, who was brutally beaten and falsely accused of trafficking, is also now free,” he said.
Met Sr. Vandana Francis & Sr. Preethi Mary at Vishwadeep Ashram near Infant Jesus Church in Durg after they were granted bail. Their brothers Joseph Mathew & Baiju (Angamaly) were with them. Sugman, who was brutally beaten & falsely accused of trafficking, is also now free. pic.twitter.com/kZRLI18Qnc
— John Brittas (@JohnBrittas) August 2, 2025
Congress leader and MP KC Venugopal said the party welcomes the verdict and demanded that the First Information Report (FIR) against them be quashed immediately. He also demanded the arrest and strict punishment of the “Bajrang Dal goons” who attacked the nuns.
“The court has clearly noted that the adult girls accompanying the [nuns] were not at all forced, and two of them have been followers of Christianity since childhood. This proves that the entire proceedings were trumped up, and the FIR should be quashed immediately. Further, the Bajrang Dal goons who attacked the nuns must be arrested and given the strictest punishment. The bogey of religious conversion is nothing but a dog whistle for the BJP and its goons to attack, torment, and humiliate Christians in India. Just like how we were at the forefront of this fight for justice, the Congress will always stand with the victims of this horrible hate campaign,” he wrote on X.
We welcome the Hon’ble NIA Court’s verdict giving bail to Sister Preethy and Sister Vandana who were arrested in Chhattisgarh on absolutely trumped up charges. The Court has clearly noted that the adult girls accompanying the Sisters were not at all forced, and two of them have…
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 2, 2025
Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said, “While the BJP in Chhattisgarh fans the flames of hate, Kerala BJP sheds crocodile tears. Kerala BJP’s hypocrisy is astounding. We’re not shaken by stones thrown at us, we will continue to stand firm for justice.”
While #BJP in #Chhattisgarh fans the flames of hate, #KeralaBJP sheds crocodile tears. Kerala BJP’s hypocrisy is astounding. “First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to ensure that justice prevailed. We are all grateful,” Archbishop Thazhath said, adding, “Everyone knows the kind of selfless work the two sisters have been doing. What happened to them was wrong. We now request that the case against them be quashed.”
Thazhath also underlined the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, saying, “We have one of the best Constitutions in the world, which upholds religious freedom. Christianity has a 2,000-year-old presence in India. We have conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah that we do not indulge in religious conversion. It is some fringe elements who are targeting us despite us having done no wrong.”
We’re not shaken by stones thrown at us—we will continue to stand firm for justice. pic.twitter.com/kz6gqQorB6
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) August 2, 2025The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, on Saturday demanded the quashing of the case filed against the nuns.
