Freedom of religion should not be curbed: Rakkam
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 2: Two nuns from Kerala and a co-accused arrested for alleged human trafficking and forced conversion were released from Durg Central Jail in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, after a court granted them bail holding that the case was based on “mere suspicion”.
The court also noted that the parents of the alleged victims denied that their daughters had been in anyway lured, or forced to convert to Christianity, by the accused.
Catholic nuns Preethy Mary and Vandana Francis were received outside the jail by several leaders from Kerala, including LDF MPs and Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and also some Congress leaders, including former MLA from Durg, Arun Vora.
The nuns left the place with Chandrashekhar in a vehicle.
Earlier, LDF MPs and some members of the Christian community were seen sharing sweets outside the jail after receiving the news of bail order.
Cabinet Minister and NPP leader, Rakkam A Sangma, expressed his satisfaction with the decision and called for the freedom of religion to not be curbed.
“I am extremely happy that our Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma also took up the matter with the Chhattisgarh CM and also met union Home Minister Amit Shah,” he said.
“It is an unfortunate incident and unacceptable. The freedom of religion should not be curbed. We should be looked as a community and not on the basis of religion. We are from the same family. We are all Indians,” he added.
Sangma also urged the Chhattisgarh government to consider withdrawing the criminal case against the nuns.
The two nuns Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethy Mary serve at Fatima Hospital in Agra. According to the letter, they were accompanying three girls from Chhattisgarh to Agra on a train when they were stopped by a TTE.
The girls reportedly admitted to not possessing valid travel tickets and said they were travelling at the nuns’ request. The TTE alerted local activists, who then alleged that the nuns were attempting to take the girls for forced religious conversion.
The allegation sparked a protest, and the Chhattisgarh police detained both the nuns and the girls based on the activists’ complaint on July 26.
A case was lodged against the nuns under serious legal sections.
Following a nationwide outcry, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma wrote to his Chhattisgarh counterpart, Vishnu Deo Sai, to consider the revocation of the criminal case filed against the two nuns. (With PTI inputs)