KOCHI: Amid rising political tension over the arrest of two Catholic nuns hailing from Kerala, delegations of LDF and UDF arrived at Durg in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. While the UDF delegation could meet Sr Vandana and Sr Peethy Mary, the LDF team was asked to return on Wednesday.
Angamaly MLA Roji M John, Kollam MP N K Premachandran, Chalakudy MP Benny Behanan, Kottayam MP Francis George and Saji Joseph comprised the UDF delegation. The LDF delegation, led by Brinda Karat and including Rajya Sabha MPs Jose K Mani, A A Rahim, P P Suneer and John Brittas and Alathur MP K Radhakrishnan, is scheduled to meet the nuns between 9am and 10am.
Francis told TNIE that they were not allowed to meet the nuns initially. This led the UDF delegation to stage an impromptu dharna in front of the police station. “The police prevented us from entering the station and told us to come the next day. However, we came to know BJP leaders Anoop Antony and Shone George had been allowed to meet the nuns earlier. They are the reason why we were turned away,” alleged Francis.
Following this, the UDF leaders contacted former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel “He ensured that we meet the nuns. The nuns are doing okay under the current circumstances. We talked to them. Though emotionally traumatised, they have not been harmed physically. But that can’t be said about the man who had accompanied the three girls. He suffered physical harm,” said the UDF MP.
Meanwhile, the LDF delegation arrived at Durg only in the evening. “We arrived late and were told that the visiting time was over. We have been asked to come between 9am and 10am on Wednesday. We will be talking to the nuns and also their family members, who have arrived here, to coordinate the next legal steps that need to be taken. A bail application will be moved on Wednesday,” Jose K Mani told TNIE.
Church outfits protest against arrest of nuns
Various Church organisations staged protests in Ernakulam and Thrissur on Tuesday against the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh. In Kochi, the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) took out a protest march, condemning the arrests as being based on false charges.
The protestors termed the incident an encroachment on the Constitution and accused the Chhattisgarh government of enabling communal forces. The KLCA also called for strong intervention from the Central government in the matter. In Thrissur, a protest march was held under the aegis of the Syro-Malabar Church’s Thrissur archdiocese.
Muraleedharan alleges attempts to target BJP
Senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan has come out against attempts to target the BJP in the arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh. At a political explanation meeting at Pallithura here, Muraleedharan alleged a conspiracy behind the allegations targeting the BJP.
