‘Mob rule’: Congress condemns nuns’ arrest on conversion allegations in Chhattisgarh

“An FIR has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act,” a GRP official said, adding that when questioned, the victims had alleged that they had been promised jobs and were being taken to Agra, and that one of the suspects had brought them to Durg station.

Through inducements, there was an attempt to engage in human trafficking and conversion”, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai alleged.

“Three daughters from Narayanpur were promised nursing training and subsequent job placements. They were handed over to two nuns at Durg station by a person from Narayanpur, who were taking the girls to Agra,” he said on X, adding that investigation was ongoing and “law will take its course.”

However, Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, claimed the three women were adults and that they — as well as their parents — were Christians. He also alleges that the suspects were assaulted in custody.

“They were going to work in a hospital. We will also register an FIR against a woman who can be seen assaulting the accused [in a video]. It also raises questions on how accused who are in custody of police are being assaulted?”

The women’s families too denied the allegations, instead claiming that they were heading there for a job. “My sister told us she was going to take up a job of which she learnt from Sukaman Mandavi’s brother. She was not being trafficked. My parents also knew about it and were fine with it,” the sister of one of three women said.

Calls to Sukhman Mandavi’s family went unanswered.

The arrests have drawn a political backlash, with Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi claiming that the nuns were being “being targeted for their faith”. The Opposition held a demonstration outside Parliament Monday to protest the arrest.

“It [the arrest] reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime,” he said on X, calling it the “RSS-BJP mob rule”. “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.”

All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal also made similar allegations.

“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,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sanjay Shrivastava called Gandhis’ statement “pressure politics”.

“This country has a constitution, laws and rules. If he thinks someone has gone against the Constitution then he should approach the court. If anyone violates the conversion law then stringent action will be taken,” he said.