Meghalaya cabinet minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader AL Hek on Tuesday wrote to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, seeking the immediate release of two Catholic nuns arrested in Durg last week. The nuns — Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis — were taken into custody on July 25 at Durg railway station, following a complaint lodged by a Bajrang Dal functionary.
In his letter, Hek conveyed his “deep concern” over the arrests and urged the Chhattisgarh government to ensure a thorough and fair investigation into the matter. The two nuns, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were booked on charges related to alleged forced religious conversion and human trafficking involving three girls from Narayanpur district.
Hek referred to a previous telephonic conversation with Sai and reiterated his confidence in the church's work, stating, “The Church has always served humanity with integrity. To my knowledge, there has been no incident of forced conversion.”
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He appealed to the Chief Minister to take “appropriate steps to determine the actual cause and circumstances” of the arrests and extended his gratitude for the assurance reportedly given by Sai to review the case.
The arrests have reverberated across state lines, with the BJP’s Kerala unit distancing itself from the Chhattisgarh police’s action. BJP Kerala President Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated on Tuesday that no evidence of forced conversions or trafficking had been found so far and assured that the party was committed to securing the safe return of the nuns.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that justice is served and the nuns are released at the earliest,” Chandrasekhar said. Sai, while acknowledging the concerns, maintained that the police acted in response to a formal complaint and followed procedure. Human rights organisations and church leaders have also begun voicing support for the arrested nuns, demanding transparency and due process.
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