Christian Persecution in Chhattisgarh a Violation of Constitutional Rights: CPI M

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI M state secretariat has strongly condemned the arrest and imprisonment of two Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh, who were accused of religious conversion and human trafficking. The party stated that the issue should not be viewed merely as a Christian community matter but as a serious violation of constitutional provisions and an infringement on minority rights. The Constitution guarantees not only the right to practice religion but also to propagate it, the party emphasised.

The nuns have been jailed under serious charges, and the incident gains added gravity against the backdrop of the anti-minority stance taken by both the central and Chhattisgarh governments.

The incident took place at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh, where Bajrang Dal activists surrounded the nuns, S Preethi Mary and S. Vandana Francis, and handed them over to the police. Instead of taking action against the Bajrang Dal activists for taking the law into their own hands, both the Chhattisgarh police and railway authorities stood by them, which is shocking, the statement said.

Reports indicate that attacks against Christian minorities have surged sharply across the country since 2014. The central government remained a mute spectator to the violence in Manipur, where the rule of law was dismantled. From Graham Staines to Stan Swamy, brutal attacks against Christians have continued across different parts of the country, the CPI M noted, adding that this latest incident is yet another grim reminder.

The secretariat statement urged for a strong public outcry against such violations.