THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister of State George Kurian on Thursday criticised the Congress party for what he called double standards in responding to the arrest of two Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh, while also pointing out lapses in the legal process that followed their detention.
The absence of the Congress party’s lone MP from Chhattisgarh during the Delhi protests raised serious doubts about its sincerity, Kurian told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. “The Congress has only one MP in Chhattisgarh. Why did that MP not participate in the protest in Delhi?” he asked.
Stressing that the arrest was not politically motivated, he clarified, “The application was filed before the procedures were completed. The nuns were not arrested by the BJP. It was the TTE who found the children suspicious.”
When asked about allegations of religious conversion, Kurian reiterated that the matter was under judicial consideration. “It is for the court to decide,” he said, adding that bishops were within their rights to express dissent.
He further underlined that “mainstream churches in Kerala do not convert.”
Responding to a media query on BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s earlier remark that no conversion had taken place, Kurian remarked, “He must have said so because he is well-informed.”
Taking a dig at the Congress leadership in Kerala, Kurian recalled that when there was a protest against Pala Bishop, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan had demanded that a case be registered against him.
“Now the same Congress is raising this issue and trying to create the impression that they are even ready to die for Christians,” he said.
The arrest of the two nuns, both hailing from Kerala, has sparked widespread protests in Kerala and Chhattisgarh.
‘Court will decide’
When asked about allegations of religious conversion, Kurian reiterated that the matter was under judicial consider-ation. “It is for the court to decide,” he said. He further underlined that “mainstream churches in Kerala do not convert.”