Silent protest held in Belagavi demanding release of arrested Kerala nuns
Organised by the Catholic Association of Belgaum and other Christian organisations, the rally was led by Bishop Rev Dr Derek Fernandes. Around 400 participants, including priests, nuns, seminarians, and laypersons, assembled at the DC Compound at 4.40pm. The peaceful march concluded at the zilla panchayat CEO's office, where a memorandum addressed to the president of India, the prime minister, and the chief minister of Karnataka was submitted to deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan.
The memorandum highlighted the wrongful arrest of the nuns and the youth at Durg Railway Station on July 25 under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act (1968), which pertains to religious conversion through force or inducement. They were accompanying three adult tribal women, aged 18–19, from Narayanpur to Agra for nursing jobs. The women all signed parental consent letters and carried valid identification.
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According to the memorandum, the arrests were prompted by pressure from a right-wing activist who falsely alleged forced conversion, sparking a mob protest. It is alleged that the charges were politically and communally motivated. Investigations and family statements later confirmed that the women travelled willingly and without any coercion.
Speaking at the rally, Bishop Derek Fernandes condemned the arrests as 'unjust and frivolous,' asserting that Catholics are not involved in forced conversions.
He also decried the physical assault on the nuns and warned against the rise of communal violence.
"We demand the immediate release of the innocent and an end to baseless persecution. The govt must protect minority rights and uphold India's secular values," Bishop Fernandes stated.
Deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan, who received the memorandum, assured the gathering that appropriate action would be taken.
Other notable participants included Rev Fr Philip Kutty, Rev Nooroddin Mulla, Clara Fernandes, Louis Rodrigues, Fr Pramod Kumar, Sr Pastor Ankalgi, and Sister Lourdes Joseph.
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