Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, president of the National People’s Party (NPP), has appealed to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai to ensure a fair investigation and consider revoking charges against two Catholic nuns from Kerala arrested on July 25, 2025, for alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion. In a strongly worded letter, Sangma described the accusations against Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethy Mary, both affiliated with Fatima Hospital in Agra, as “shocking and unfounded,” urging the Chhattisgarh government to uphold the constitutional rights of religious minorities.

The nuns, along with Sukhman Mandavi, were detained by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Durg Railway Station following a complaint by a Bajrang Dal functionary, who alleged they were trafficking three tribal women from Narayanpur district for forced conversion. Charged under Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968, and Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the nuns remain in judicial custody until August 8. Sangma labeled the case a “blatant case of harassment,” asserting that the nuns were merely escorting the women, all over 18 and with parental consent, for nursing training and job opportunities in Agra.

The arrests have sparked nationwide outrage, with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) seeking intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging a pattern of minority persecution. In Meghalaya, the Catholic Association of Shillong, led by former Congress MP Vincent H. Pala, condemned the charges as “baseless” and “motivated by communal bias,” citing Bajrang Dal’s role in instigating the arrests.

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Kerala’s political spectrum, including the CPI(M)-led LDF, Congress-led UDF, and even the BJP’s Kerala unit, has rallied behind the nuns. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar distanced his party from the Bajrang Dal, calling the arrests a “misunderstanding” and pledging to secure the nuns’ release, despite Sai’s public endorsement of the police action. Families of the tribal women have denied conversion allegations, confirming their consent for the trip, further undermining the FIR filed by Bajrang Dal’s Ravi Nigam.

Sangma’s letter emphasized India’s secular ethos, stating, “Religious persecution has no place in a democratic nation.” He expressed hope that Sai would resolve the issue in line with constitutional values, amid reports that the Chhattisgarh CM was summoned to Delhi by BJP leadership to address the political fallout. The case, now before an NIA court, continues to fuel debates over the misuse of anti-conversion laws and minority rights in BJP-ruled states.

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