National: In a significant development, the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh, which triggered widespread concern, is poised for a resolution, with the BJP state chief, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, stating that the matter was a “misunderstanding” and they would be granted bail shortly. The assurance came after a high-level meeting with Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), where Chandrasekhar conveyed that both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister had intervened to ensure the nuns’ release.
The two nuns, Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested at Durg railway station on July 25 after a complaint from a local Bajrang Dal functionary. The complaint alleged they were involved in the forced conversion and trafficking of three girls from Narayanpur. However, Chandrasekhar clarified that the issue stemmed from a procedural lapse. He explained that a law regulating private placement agencies in Chhattisgarh mandates that young women relocating for jobs between districts must register on a government portal, a requirement that was not fulfilled in this case, leading to the “misunderstanding and subsequent police action.”
During the meeting, Chandrasekhar assured the Archbishop that the state government would not oppose the bail pleas of the nuns. “It is a judicial process. Let it happen. I only want to say that don’t politicise the issue,” he remarked, urging against making it a political matter. He maintained that the party was merely trying to help the people involved.
Archbishop Thazhath, while expressing relief at the news, told reporters that the church’s priority was to secure the immediate release of the nuns. He described the police action against them as “painful” and also utilized the opportunity to highlight the growing number of attacks on the Christian community across the country, urging Chandrasekhar to ensure their safety and security.
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