Has the country become banana republic, asks CPI MP on arrest of Kerala nuns

New Delhi: Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar said on Tuesday that the arrests of two Catholic nuns, hailing from Kerala, in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion are "strange and shocking", and questioned if the country has become a "banana republic".

According to media reports, the Kerala-based nuns were arrested at a railway station in Chhattisgarh recently on charges of human trafficking and forced conversion raised by right-wing activists.

"This is a strange, shocking case. The charges are under (section) 143 of the BNS, which is human trafficking. If more than one victim is involved, it is an offence punishable with more than 10 years of imprisonment," Kumar told PTI Videos.

"What is this human trafficking from Durg station to Agra station? Has this country become a banana republic?" he asked.

"Under the BJP's raj, all minorities are being targeted. Christian nuns and fathers are afraid of wearing their dresses," he said.

The Left leader said this incident has once again "exposed" the BJP.

"Once again the BJP got exposed," he said, claiming that more than 834 incidents of atrocities against Christians were reported in the country last year. "This year also, it is continuously happening. We are no way compromising with them, we will continue our fight," Kumar said.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) MP added that a delegation of Left parties is visiting Chhattisgarh currently and will go to Raipur and Durg.

"These nuns must be released immediately. There is no point in the charges levelled against them. We will fight it down," he said.

The arrests of the two nuns have triggered a political slugfest, with opposition leaders slamming the incident as an attack on Christians.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai accused the opposition parties on Monday of politicising the issue. Defending the arrests, Sai also said he was concerned about the safety of "our daughters from Bastar".

However, the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) virtually rejected Sai's statements on Tuesday, saying the nuns were not involved in any human trafficking or forced conversion attempts.

Reacting to the arrests of the nuns, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has expressed "deep anguish and alarm" over the climate of "hostility and violence" prevailing in the country towards minority communities.

The CBCI has said minorities are "gripped by fear and pain", and "find themselves increasingly vulnerable amidst rising attacks by communal elements and the disturbing apathy of those entrusted with enforcing the law and upholding constitutional values".