Raipur: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on August1 asked whether the Congress was attempting to put pressure on the court by staging protests after two nuns from Kerala were arrested over charges of forced religious conversion and human trafficking.
“This has nothing to do with votes. Earlier too, a delegation from the Congress party had come, and we facilitated their meeting with them (the two nuns),” said Sharma.
“But they should understand whether by doing this, they are trying to pressure the court? This is a matter on which the police have taken action; whether bail will be granted or not, the court will decide,” he said.
The deputy CM made these remarks amid leaders of Congress party and Left, staging protests against the arrest of the nuns who were apprehended from Durg railway station along with another individual after they were allegedly found to be involved in human trafficking.
#WATCH | Raipur: On the arrest of two nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma says, “This has nothing to do with votes. Earlier too, a delegation from the Congress party had come, and we facilitated their meeting with them (the two nuns)… but they… pic.twitter.com/NobFOupUfg
— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2025
Three individuals identified as sister Priti Merry, Vandana Francis and Sukaman Mandavi were taken into custody by police on July 25. The officials also rescued three young women, all hailing from Bastar region who were reportedly being taken to Agra and promised better job opportunities by the accused.
The incident came to light after local Hindu activists spotted a group of people taking three of the young girls from Bastar to UP. Acting on swiftly, the railway police then detained the accused along with the girls.
According to media reports, the girls who hails from tribal dominated Bastar region were lured into taking up jobs in mission hospitals by Sukaman Mandavi who handed over the girls to the nuns at Durg.
Several senior leaders of the Congress party, CPI, CPM have rallied behind the nuns since their apprehension. The opposition leaders have also raised the issue in the parliament, training guns on the state government.
Earlier a delegation of the Congress led UDF alliance also met with the nuns on Tuesday. This was followed by CPM leader Vrinda Karat meeting with the accused nuns on July 30.
This comes despite Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday expressing concerns over the politicisation of the issue related to the safety of daughters from tribal belt.
In a social media post, CM Vishnu Deo Sai had said “Three daughters from Narayanpur were promised nursing training and subsequent job placements. They were handed over to two nuns at Durg station by a person from Narayanpur, who were taking the girls to Agra. Through inducement, an attempt was being made to engage in human trafficking and conversion,” said the CM.
The CM noted that the matter is very serious as it relates to the women’s safety and the law will take its own course in the case.
“This is a serious matter related to women’s safety. The investigation in this case is still ongoing. The matter is under judicial review, and the law will take its course,” he had said.
He underscored that “Chhattisgarh is a peaceful state where people from all religion and communities live in harmony and it is extremely unfortunate to give a political colour to the issue related to the safety of our daughters of Bastar”.
Meanwhile the Vishva Hindu Parishad [VHP] on Wednesday slammed the opposition leaders who are protesting against the action taken by the police in the case. The VHP alleged the leaders from the Congress party for shielding the accused and pressurizing the state government.
प्रेस वक्तव्य:
अवैध धर्मांतरणकारी गैंग को बचाने से बाज आए कांग्रेसी क्रिश्चियन गठजोड़: विहिप
नई दिल्ली। जुलाई 30, 2025। विश्व हिंदू परिषद के केंद्रीय संयुक्त महामंत्री डॉ सुरेंद्र जैन ने आज कहा है कि छत्तीसगढ़ में जनजातियों के अवैध धर्मांतरण के एक और मामले के प्रकाश में आने के… pic.twitter.com/mJfFCzRVxv
— Vishva Hindu Parishad -VHP (@VHPDigital) July 30, 2025
“Instead of saying that the law should be allowed to do its work and if the perpetrators are criminals, they should be punished, the law-makers have been standing to shield the law breakers,” said VHP in an official statement issued on Wednesday.
