New Delhi [India], July 28 : Lok Sabha Congress MP, KC Venugopal on Monday condemned the alleged harassment and arrest of Kerala nuns in Chhattisgarh's Durg railway station, saying that "atrocities against minorities in BJP-ruled states are increasing day by day."
Three nuns from Kerala working in Chhattisgarh were alleged to be trafficking victims by the officials, and subsequently by members of the Bajrang Dal too.
"The atrocities against minorities in BJP-ruled state are increasing day by day. This is not an isolated case. In Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, every places they are haunting Christian institutions, fathers, and nuns. We wrote to HM and CM but there is no concrete action," Venugopal told reporters at Parliament.
Venugopal, along with other MPs carried out a protest at Parliament premises earlier today, demanding that the attack on minorities be stopped.
He further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given the "freedom" to Bajrang Dal and similar organisations to attack minorities.
"We wrote a letter to Home Minister of India and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister regarding the custody of Indian nuns. They belong to Kerala but they are in Chhattisgarh. What happened is that, they had taken three women for employment, but the Bajrang Dal and the government said that basically that trafficking issue. Initially they told that they are taking for conversion, which was false. They told the police that we are doing in legally, taken permission from parents but the police didn't hear that," Venugopal said.
Earlier today, Congress' Lok Sabha MP Hibi Eden also filed an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha, seeking a discussion on the "recent attack" on the nuns.
Submitting an adjournment motion to the LS Secretary General, the Congress MP stated, "The recent terror attack specifically targeting nuns and forcing them to hide their attire, including the Thiru Vasthram is a matter of grave concern.
Meanwhile on July 27, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has also strongly condemned the alleged incident, claiming that according to reports, the women had explicit written permission from parents, but were physically assaulted after being arrested.