Christian community in Vijayawada protests arrest of nuns
The protest rally began from Bishop School Grounds and traversed through MG Road before culminating at Dr BR Ambedkar Smriti Vanam Park. The rally was organised under the aegis of Vijayawada Catholic Peeth headed by Monsignor Muvvala Prasad.
The participants, holding placards, raised slogans demanding the immediate arrest of those who had allegedly attacked the nuns at the railway station in Chhattisgarh.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Friendship Day wishes
,
messages
and
quotes
!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
The race for the Catholic vote in Kerala
On July 25, when the Chhattisgarh police arrested two nuns from Kerala on charges of forced conversion and trafficking, political parties in the southern State sprang into action. In a rare, united show of urgency, the LDF and the UDF dispatched separate delegations to Chhattisgarh. The BJP is in power in Chhattisgarh; yet its Kerala unit also sent a team, determined not to be outdone. All their efforts paid off as the nuns were finally granted bail by an NIA court. This wasn't the first time that Christian missionaries from Kerala faced legal trouble or vigilante hostility in north India. However, what set this case apart, and gave it sharp political resonance, was that the nuns were Catholic. Their detention triggered anger, coming as it did just months ahead of two elections: one to the local bodies and another to the Assembly. As Kerala's third largest demographic group after Hindus and Muslims, Christians, especially Catholics, have long wielded significant influence in the State — not just in education, healthcare, and charitable initiatives, but also in politics and policymaking. However, in the last few years, the community appeared to drift to the political margins. Attention turned inwards, with growing concerns over issues such as the massive wave of youth migration to the West. The Chhattisgarh episode thrust the Church back into the spotlight even as there remains ambiguity about its political alignment. Historically, the Catholic vote was regarded a pillar of support for the Congress-led UDF, especially in the central Travancore region. But that relationship began to weaken after the fall of the UDF government. The death of Kerala Congress patriarch K.M. Mani and of senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy further deepened the disconnect. The CPI(M)-led LDF was quick to seize the opportunity. By aligning with Kerala Congress (M), a splinter group with Catholic roots, it managed to break into the UDF stronghold in central Travancore. In the last Assembly elections, the LDF not only retained power, but also made significant inroads into Catholic-majority constituencies. The Church, however, did not remain silent. It challenged the LDF government on issues such as agrarian distress and wild animal attacks. Trying to reclaim lost ground, the Congress in May named Sunny Joseph, a Catholic leader with strong ties across the Catholic dioceses of central Travancore and Malabar, as head of the party in Kerala. As the Congress holds just three of the 21 seats in central Travancore, it is hoping that this appointment will lead to its political revival. Meanwhile, the BJP has been slowly cultivating the Catholic vote in Kerala. What began as an unspoken alignment on shared anxieties, such as 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad', gradually evolved into a strategic outreach effort. The party began inducting Christian leaders and building quiet channels with sections of the Church. In April 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral Church in New Delhi and then met with top bishops in Kochi. However, the honeymoon was short-lived. The violence against churches in Manipur severely strained this fledgling alliance. The BJP then attempted course correction by echoing the Church's criticism of pro-Palestinian rhetoric from rival parties and by supporting the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council's call for greater political engagement from Christians. The Waqf Board land controversy in Munambam also helped the party attract segments of the Catholic clergy and laity. Recognising the growing political stakes, the Church has begun to assert itself more in public affairs. Yet beneath this assertion lies an internal dissonance. While a few clergy members appear willing to engage with the BJP, a large section remains cautious, primarily due to the party's ties with Hindutva groups known for anti-Christian rhetoric. Just as Kerala's political class started to realise that Catholic votes are in play, the Chhattisgarh episode unfolded. For the Catholic Church, the arrests served as a wake-up call about how its clergy and members are perceived, especially in parts of north and central India. The next two election cycles could determine how the Church chooses to position itself politically. For now, every party is on high alert, knowing that this once-reliable bloc is no longer guaranteed, but is very much worth fighting for.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Father-in-law tips cops off about booze party daughter-in-law was attending
Surat: Dumas police busted a party at the 'Weekend Address' hotel, where liquor was allegedly being served, and arrested four men and two women, all between 23 and 25 years of age. A man had called the Surat police control room to report that his daughter-in-law was at a liquor party in Room 443 of the hotel. Dumas police then raided the room and caught the accused, in possession of a liquor bottle. Both the women arrested are artists, while the men are professionals and businessmen. All the accused were allegedly intoxicated. Police seized four glasses and a half-full liquor bottle. Investigators said the group had rented the room to celebrate Friendship Day. Police took all of them to Civil Hospital to get their blood tested for alcohol. "We learned that the informer's son is married to one of the women arrested. As the couple had certain disputes, the informer wanted to 'teach the woman a lesson'. He started following her and came to know about the said party. After he got to know about the party, he informed police," said an official. Dumas police also learned that the hotel room was rented out without compliance with the police commissioner's notification on rentals. "Of 464 rooms in the hotel, many are owned by private individuals who sign a rent agreement and sublet rooms. The person renting the room offers it to others for higher rates. As his contract is over, police will file a separate complaint against the room owner," said assistant commissioner of police Deep Vakil. — Police to question informer As the party was disrupted due to a family dispute, police are probing the incident with caution. Sources stated police are now investigating how the informer became aware of the party. "We will get a statement from the informer on how he learned about the woman being in that particular room. Was he following her or did he deploy someone to monitor her activities? This will aid the investigation," said an official.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Christians protest, demand justice for Kerala nuns, tribal man
Christians and others took out processions and staged protests in Mangaluru and Udupi on Monday demanding justice for Kerala nuns and a tribal youth arrested in Chhattisgarh on July 25, and subsequently released on bail on August 2. Holding the protest outside mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru under the auspices of Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh, they stood in solidarity with Sister Preethi Mary and Sister Vandana Francis — both from Kerala — and Sukaman Mandavi of Narayanpur, arrested at Durg Railway Station on alleged charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion of three tribal women. Speaking on the occasion, Sr. Severine Menezes, former president of Mangaluru unit of the Conference of Religious India (CRI) said that Christian institutions serve the most vulnerable with education, healthcare, and social uplift. 'To accuse us of coercion is to attack every person who selflessly serves.' Fr. Dominic Vas, present CRI president of Mangaluru chapter and Parish Priest of St. Mary's Church, Bikarnakatta, stated: 'We are patriots—not fanatics. This case is fabricated and must be quashed. Justice delayed is justice denied.' Roy Castelino, Public Relation Officer of Mangaluru Diocese said: 'The woman who lodged the complaint has vanished. Yet the sisters were quickly arrested. This is not justice. We demand that Jyothi Sharma face charges for filing a false, malicious complaint.' At Udupi Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh held the protest at Ajjarakadu in Udupi. Speaking on the occasion Gananatha Ekkar, a former college teacher, said that the country had over 30,000 Christian education institutes and over 50 lakh persons, from different religions, benefitted from them. The sabha demanded withdrawal of the case filed against the three persons.
