Members of various Christian organizations organize a protest in Belagavi against the arrest of nuns from Kerala in Chattisgarh on Friday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Members of various Christian organizations organized a silent protest on Belagavi on Friday and demanded immediate release of nuns from Kerala and tribal youth, which was arrested in Chattisgarh.
They were arrested for false accusations and controversial circumstances. They were accused of trading people and transformation. They are false, they said. The deputy commissioner to the office of Zilla Panchayat went from the office. They provided a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiaha through the deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan.
Bishop Derek Fernandes condemned arrests at the Assembly as unfair and frivolous. He said no Catholic was ever involved in forced conversions. He also rejected a physical attack on nuns and warned against the rise of municipal violence.
“We require immediate release of innocent and ending unfounded persecution. The government must protect minority rights and observe the secular values of India,” Bishop Fernandes said.
According to the memorandum, the arrest was caused by the pressure of a right -wing activist who was falsely forcing the conversion, which caused the crowd protest. It is said that the accusation was politically and community motivated. Investigations and family statements later confirmed that women traveled voluntarily and without any pressure.
The memorandum said the arrest was unfair and unauthorized. “The nuns and youth were held at the Durg 25th July railway station under Section 143 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit (BNS) and Section 4 of the Act on Religious Freedom Chhattisgarh (1968) concerning religious transformation or induction.
The Rally was organized by the Belgaum Catholic Association and other Christian organizations.
More than 400 participants, including priests, nuns, seminars and lay people, participated.
The copies of the memorandum were intended for the Indian President and Prime Minister.
They were present by communities leaders such as Philip Kutty, Clara Fernandes, Louis Rodrigues, Pramod Kumar, Pastor Ankalgi, Sister Lourdes Joseph, Nooruddin Mulla and others.
Published – 1 August 2025 20:00
