THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan have condemned the arrest of a Keralite priest in Nagpur on charges of forced religious conversion.
“Deeply disturbing that a Malayali Christian priest, his family and aides were arrested in Nagpur on allegations of forced conversion,” Pinarayi said on X. The chief minister said the recent incident follows a worrying pattern followed by Sangh Parivar to target minorities in order to fuel polarisation. Such incidents were seen earlier in Jabalpur, he reminded and added that it undermines constitutional freedom.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said he has written to the prime minster’s office and the office of the chief minister of Maharashtra to intervene in the matter. “Arresting 12 people, including Malayali priest Fr Sudhir, during Christmas prayer meeting in Nagpur based on a Bajrang Dal complaint is deeply disturbing,” he noted on X.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph strongly condemned the action of the Maharashtra police in Nagpur. Sunny described the arrests as a serious threat to the freedom of religion and the equality guaranteed under the Constitution. Sunny said that every citizen should have the right and freedom to practise and propagate their chosen religion without fear.
The arrest of the priest and his wife is highly disturbing and condemnable, said MP Kodikunnil Suresh. He said he has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking his immediate intervention in the matter. He urged the Maharashtra government to withdraw action against innocent individuals and ensure that justice is upheld.
CSI Bishops Council speaks out
The CSI Bishops Council has come down strongly against the incident. Condemning the action, CSI Bishops Council secretary and bishop of Central Kerala Diocese, Sabu Malayil Koshy, called it a blatant violation of constitutional freedoms.
Stating that the activities in question were merely Christmas-related worship services, the bishop highlighted that Fr Sudheer has been serving in Nagpur for the past 12 years, focusing on educating children and supporting local communities.
“The works of Fr Sudheer have significantly contributed to the development of several villages. The CSI Bishops Council strongly condemns the police action,” he said.
The incident came just a day after Christian bishops met the Vice-President of India, urging action against attacks on Christians. Bishop Koshy also demanded that the political party in power respond decisively.
Meanwhile, the episode, coming close on the heels of anti-Christian attacks in north India during Christmas, appears to have put the BJP on the defensive. With assembly elections just months away, the arrests threaten to impact the party’s political traction among Christians in Central Travancore. The Catholic Church has also issued a scathing critique of the prime minister for his silence on these attacks through its official mouthpiece ‘Deepika’.