New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday claimed that two Catholic nuns were jailed in Chhattisgarh for their faith and alleged a ‘systematic persecution’ of minorities was taking place wherever the BJP was in power.
Noting that religious freedom is a constitutional right, he demanded the immediate release of the nuns and accountability for the injustice committed against them.
Earlier in the day, United Democratic Front (UDF) MPs, including Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex over the arrest of the nuns hailing from Kerala and demanded their immediate release.
Three people, including the nuns, were arrested on July 25 at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh over alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion, a Government Railway Police (GRP) official said Sunday.
The action was taken following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary, accusing the trio of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them, the official said.
“Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith – this isn’t justice, it’s BJP-RSS mob rule. It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime,” Gandhi said in a post on X.
“UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent. Religious freedom is a constitutional right. We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha also said.
Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith – this isn’t justice, it’s BJP-RSS mob rule.
It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime.
UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent.… https://t.co/as67WaLmdV
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2025
In the Parliament complex, a group of UDF MPs, including Venugopal, RSP’s N K Premachandran and IUML’s E T Mohammed Basheer, protested in front of the Makar Dwar steps before the start of the day’s proceedings. They carried posters like ‘Stop attacks on minorities’ and demanded action against those behind the arrest of nuns.
In a post on X, Venugopal said, “UDF MPs held a strong protest outside Parliament today against the shocking arrest and harassment of Catholic nuns in Durg in Chhattisgarh. They were targeted by a violent mob despite no wrongdoing.”
“By the BJP-RSS ecosystem, all minorities are treated as criminals and lumpen elements are unleashed to intimidate fellow citizens practising their faith. This jugalbandi between Bajrang Dal goons and the police in Chhattisgarh shows the BJP’s real intent towards religious minorities,” Venugopal said.
“We demand their immediate release and justice for the innocent nuns,” he said.
Venugopal also accused Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai of spewing venom against minorities.
“If anyone had any doubts – it is not the “fringe” but a BJP CM himself spewing hatred against minorities. Instead of arresting the Bajrang Dal goons, the Chhattisgarh CM is endorsing them and insulting the innocent nuns who were carrying out social work among the poor.
“This goes to show how the BJP is nothing but wolves in sheep’s clothing – pretending to be inclusive, while vilifying and targeting minorities in reality,” he said in a post on X.
“This is a warning for every single community that has been given false assurances of support and welfare by the BJP – they will come after you and everyone that does not fit their agenda of hate,” Venugopal said, after Sai claimed this as a case of human trafficking and forced conversion.
“It is extremely unfortunate to give a political colour to the issue related to the safety of our Bastar daughters,” Sai said in a post in Hindi.
Sai also claimed that three daughters from Narayanpur were promised nursing training and subsequent job placements and they were handed over to two nuns at Durg station by a person from Narayanpur, who were taking the girls to Agra.
“Through inducement, an attempt was being made to engage in human trafficking and conversion. This is a serious matter related to women’s safety. The investigation in this case is still ongoing. The matter is under judicial review, and the law will take its course,” he said noting that Chhattisgarh is a peaceful state where people of all religions and communities live in harmony.
The Congress in Kerala on Sunday had vehemently criticised the BJP and the Sangh Parivar over the arrest of the Catholic nuns.
Venugopal and the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, cited it as the latest example of an attack against minorities in the BJP-ruled states.
In a post on X Sunday, Venugopal said attacks on minorities have seen a rampant increase under BJP-ruled states, be it Chhattisgarh, Odisha or Madhya Pradesh.
“The latest attacks by Bajrang Dal goons on two Catholic nuns in Durg, Chhattisgarh, point to a tacit support for such hate crimes from the ruling establishment,” he said.
Venugopal has also written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Sai, demanding strict punishment against these culprits and the urgent need to uphold the Constitution so that fundamental rights of minorities are not threatened under their rule.
PTI
