‘Baseless charges': Church condemns Malayali nuns' arrest in Chhattisgarh
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) said the nuns were arrested despite possessing written consent letters from the parents of the girls, who are over 18 years of age. The CBCI urged the state governments to ensure the safety and protection of all women, especially those in religious service, and sought the urgent intervention of the Union government to prevent such incidents.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council's (KCBC) Social Harmony and Vigilance Commission, in an official statement on Sunday, said the police's action was reportedly prompted by false and baseless allegations of religious conversion and human trafficking made by members of the Bajrang Dal.
'This distressing incident is part of a broader and deeply troubling pattern of increasing hostility towards Christians and missionary personnel across various Indian states. The weaponisation of anti-conversion laws by extremist groups is not only unjust but also poses a serious threat to the constitutional rights of religious minorities in the country. We affirm that Catholic missionaries do not engage in forced conversions,' the commission said.
The CBCI said the Catholic Church will raise the issue on all appropriate platforms and 'strongly oppose any attempt to malign the dignity of religious nuns and priests or to curtail religious freedom.'
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