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IOCUSA condemns arrest of Indian nuns, cites rights violation
The were arrested and accused of attempting to convert and traffic three young tribal women who were traveling with them to work in a convent in Agra.
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Reuters - Wed, 30, Jul 2025
- 16:57 EDT
- 98
Indian Overseas Congress / X
The Indian Overseas Congress, USA (IOCUSA) condemned the arrest and detention of two Catholic nuns from the southern Indian state of Kerala, calling it a violation of basic human rights and a troubling sign of growing religious intolerance in India.
George Abraham, vice-chair of IOCUSA, described the arrests as “a blatant violation of fundamental rights under constitutional law,” adding that the continued harassment of Christians in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “poses a grave threat to the secular fabric of the country.”
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The accused, Sisters Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, were taken into custody on July 25 at a train station in Durg, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. They were charged under Chhattisgarh’s anti-conversion law and India’s new criminal code provisions on human trafficking.
They were accused of attempting to convert and traffic three young tribal women who were traveling with them to work in a convent in Agra, northern India. The women, however, are adults and had parental consent to work with the religious order. Their families and the church have denied all allegations, stating the travel was voluntary and for legitimate employment.
Abraham said the incident was part of a wider pattern of persecution. “When a government fosters and defends religious fanaticism, communalism, and mob rule, the freedom and liberty of all citizens are in jeopardy,” he said. He also criticized the silence of India’s central government, calling it “alarming.”
The case was reportedly initiated following a complaint by Bajrang Dal, a group that forms the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad.The women remain in judicial custody after a local court referred their bail application to a higher court.
Abraham also warned Christians in Kerala not to be misled by the BJP’s outreach efforts in the state. “What you see in Kerala BJP is nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” he said. “The global Indian diaspora must demand the immediate release of the nuns and stand against this erosion of democratic values.”
Their arrest has sparked protests across Kerala and in the Indian Parliament. Senior opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, have called for their immediate release and an impartial investigation. Legal experts and rights groups have expressed concern over the misuse of such laws to target religious minorities.
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