<p>Thiruvananthapuram: With the arrest of two nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh causing a setback to the BJP's efforts to make inroad into the Christian vote banks, the party state leadership has initiated a damage control measure by deputing a party delegation to Chhattisgarh to extend help to the nuns.</p><p>Apart from the attack from the Congress and the CPI(M), church leadership had also expressed strong displeasure over the incident. The Catholic church strongly flayed the action against the nuns in an editorial on its mouthpiece 'Deepika' on Monday which alleged the involvement of the BJP in the attack towards nuns. </p>.Rahul Gandhi, UDF MPs seek immediate release of nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh.<p>Relatives of the two nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, who were booked in Chhattisgarh on charges of religious conversion and human trafficking, expressed strong displeasure over the incident. </p><p>The silence of union minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian (the BJP leader from Kerala) on the matter also came under criticism.</p>.Nuns arrest in Chhattisgarh: Kerala CM Vijayan seeks PM Modi's intervention.<p>BJP state general secretary S Suresh told reporters that ever since the incident came to the knowledge, the party state unit under the leadership of state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar had been taking all possible steps to help the nuns legally and mentally. </p><p>He said that a delegation led by Anoop Antony Joseph would leave for Chhattisgarh to help the nuns. The CPI(M) and Congress were trying to trigger communal sentiments over the issue, he said.</p><p>Families of the nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, who hail from Angamaly near Kochi and Kannur respectively, expressed strong protest over the incident. Sister Vandana's brother Cheriyan told a section of the media that the family lost trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led administration. Action was taken against the nuns without verifying the facts. Sister Preethi's relatives said that many nuns were now not wearing the holy attire owing to fear of being attacked.</p><p>CPI(M) and Congress alleged that the love being shown by BJP leaders in Kerala by visiting the church heads by distributing cakes on Christmas and Easter has been proved fake. Party leaders, including ministers, visited the families of the nuns and extended support. </p><p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had sent a letter to the Prime Minister on Sunday urging that justice should be ensured to the nuns.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: With the arrest of two nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh causing a setback to the BJP's efforts to make inroad into the Christian vote banks, the party state leadership has initiated a damage control measure by deputing a party delegation to Chhattisgarh to extend help to the nuns.</p><p>Apart from the attack from the Congress and the CPI(M), church leadership had also expressed strong displeasure over the incident. The Catholic church strongly flayed the action against the nuns in an editorial on its mouthpiece 'Deepika' on Monday which alleged the involvement of the BJP in the attack towards nuns. </p>.Rahul Gandhi, UDF MPs seek immediate release of nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh.<p>Relatives of the two nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, who were booked in Chhattisgarh on charges of religious conversion and human trafficking, expressed strong displeasure over the incident. </p><p>The silence of union minister of state for minority affairs George Kurian (the BJP leader from Kerala) on the matter also came under criticism.</p>.Nuns arrest in Chhattisgarh: Kerala CM Vijayan seeks PM Modi's intervention.<p>BJP state general secretary S Suresh told reporters that ever since the incident came to the knowledge, the party state unit under the leadership of state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar had been taking all possible steps to help the nuns legally and mentally. </p><p>He said that a delegation led by Anoop Antony Joseph would leave for Chhattisgarh to help the nuns. The CPI(M) and Congress were trying to trigger communal sentiments over the issue, he said.</p><p>Families of the nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, who hail from Angamaly near Kochi and Kannur respectively, expressed strong protest over the incident. Sister Vandana's brother Cheriyan told a section of the media that the family lost trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led administration. Action was taken against the nuns without verifying the facts. Sister Preethi's relatives said that many nuns were now not wearing the holy attire owing to fear of being attacked.</p><p>CPI(M) and Congress alleged that the love being shown by BJP leaders in Kerala by visiting the church heads by distributing cakes on Christmas and Easter has been proved fake. Party leaders, including ministers, visited the families of the nuns and extended support. </p><p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had sent a letter to the Prime Minister on Sunday urging that justice should be ensured to the nuns.</p>