Protest march by bishops, priests and nuns in front of Kerala Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Credit: Arjun Raghunath
Thiruvananthapuram: Stepping up the protest against the ruling BJP at the Centre over the arrest of two Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh, bishops, priests, nuns and believers staged a protest march to the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Covering their mouths using black clothes, the participants staged a two kilometre long march in the city raising slogans flaying the action against the nuns.
Kerala Catholic Bishop's Council president and Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic church Cardinal Mar Baselious Cleemis who led the march said that the administrations should ensure that all sections of the society feel secure in the country.
Hence swift action should be taken to address issues like the arrest of nuns. Justice should be done to the two nuns involved in social services by releasing them from prison at the earliest, he said.
Earlier during the day he also told a section of media that such acts against the Christian community could affect the diplomacy with BJP.
Meanwhile, the two union ministers from Kerala were also being widely criticised by the church leadership and opposition political parties for not intervening in the matter.
While union minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi is yet to react on the issue, union minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian stated that since the matter was pending before court he could not comment.
The Congress also organised a Raj Bhavan march in Thiruvananthapuram demanding the release of the nuns. State education minister and CPM leader V Sivankutty called on Cardinal Cleemis and extended all possible support.