Shillong, Jul 29: Meghalaya cabinet minister and BJP leader Alexander Laloo Hek has written 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 arrested at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh over alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion
The action was taken following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary, accusing the two nuns and Sukaman Mandavi, of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them.
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.
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.”
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.
Meanwhile, the Kerala unit of the BJP has come out in support of the nuns, asserting that the incident was neither a case of religious conversion nor human trafficking, but a misunderstanding caused by technical lapses.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and received complete clarity on the case. “I have 100 per cent belief that it’s a misunderstanding and a case of miscommunication,” he said. He added that while the case was initially treated as human trafficking, the situation appears to be a lapse in registration under the Private Placement Agencies Regulation Act.
This statement comes shortly after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai defended the arrests, citing the state’s anti-conversion law, which is in place due to its significant tribal population.
Chandrasekhar also said the Kerala BJP has taken proactive steps, with State General Secretary Anoop Antony already in Chhattisgarh to offer legal and logistical support to the arrested nuns.
“We are committed to ensuring that all necessary assistance is provided to secure justice for the nuns under arrest. The BJP will stand by the nuns until they are released and justice is delivered,” he wrote on X.
