CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat terms arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh a ‘manufactured case’

Calling the recent arrest of two Kerala-based Christian nuns and a Narayanpur resident in Chhattisgarh’s Durg on charges of trafficking and religious conversion a “manufactured case”, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat has alleged that the action amounted to an infringement of the rights of tribal women.

On July 25, the Chhattisgarh Government Railway Police arrested nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, along with Sukhman Mandavi, following a complaint by a Bajrang Dal member. The complaint alleged that the three were trafficking three tribal girls from Narayanpur district from Durg to Agra with the intent of religious conversion to Christianity. The women have denied any coercion, maintaining that they were travelling to Agra to take up employment, and that neither conversion nor the travel itself was forced.

“Are there separate rules for adivasi adult women who want to leave voluntarily to look for employment elsewhere? Do they need a passport from Bajrang Dal to travel?” Ms. Karat, who met the nuns and Mr. Mandavi in Durg jail on Wednesday, said.

She said that preventing the tribal women and the nuns from proceeding and demanding documentation was discriminatory. “So they have an extra burden to prove they are doing it voluntarily. Why?” the former Rajya Sabha MP said.

Ms. Karat added that while the people of Kerala, across communities, were outraged, the issue should concern all of India as it impacts the rights of adivasis, women, and minorities.

Speaking to The Hindu over phone, Ms. Karat said the FIR was registered without investigation and alleged that Bajrang Dal members who caused a disturbance at the railway station had acted with an agenda. She further claimed that the nuns were subjected to hardships at the station and in jail, which amounted to a violation of their human rights.

“Both the nurses are over 55 years old and both of them have quite severe medical problems for which they require regular treatment and check-ups. One of them has chronic arthritis. They are being made to sleep on the cold floor which has really aggravated their problems. And when we met them, they were both running a temperature. So we spoke to the jail superintendent and told him that this is absolutely unacceptable and intolerable,” Ms. Karat said.

Responding to the allegations of trafficking and forceful conversion, Ms. Karat said she had spoken to senior police officials from Narayanpur, who confirmed that no such cases had been registered. She further alleged that the parents of the tribal women were being pressured to make adverse statements against the nuns.