Chief ministercsaid Chhattisgarh is a peace-loving state where people of all faiths coexist harmoniously and it is unfortunate that such issues related to women’s safety are being politicised. Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday called for restraint and urged political parties not to politicise the issue of women’s safety, following the arrest of two Kerala-based nuns and another individual in an alleged case of human trafficking and forced religious conversion.
On July 25, the Railway Police at Durg station arrested Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, both nuns from Kerala, along with Sukaman Mandavi, after a local Bajrang Dal functionary lodged a complaint accusing them of trafficking and attempting to forcibly convert three girls from Narayanpur. According to officials, the girls were reportedly being taken to Agra under the pretext of receiving nursing training and subsequent employment.
In a post on X, Sai said, “Three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training and jobs. A person from Narayanpur handed them over to two nuns at Durg station, who were taking them to Agra. This appears to be a case of human trafficking under the guise of conversion by luring.” Calling the incident serious and sensitive, Sai added, “The matter concerns the safety of our daughters. The investigation is underway, and the case is sub-judice. The law will take its own course. Chhattisgarh is a peace-loving state where people of all faiths coexist harmoniously. It is unfortunate that such issues related to women’s safety are being politicised.”
The arrests have sparked political backlash in Kerala, with both the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Chhattisgarh. Both fronts alleged that the incident reflects the growing insecurity faced by minorities under BJP rule.
Kerala ministers P. Rajeev and Roshy Augustine, along with a delegation of UDF MLAs led by leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, met the family of nun Preethi Merry and expressed solidarity. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas called the arrests a “blatant misuse of law” and demanded the immediate release of the nuns. In a letter to Sai, Brittas urged him to intervene in the matter and ensure justice. Meanwhile, the BJP’s Kerala unit has announced that it will send a delegation to Chhattisgarh to assess the situation.
