Centre, Odisha government must act against attack on priests, nuns: CBCI
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Kochi: Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), on Friday urged both the Odisha government and the Centre to take strict action against those involved in the attack on Christian priests and nuns in Jaleswar.
“The priests and nuns had gone to attend prayer meetings and not for anything else. It is the responsibility of the state government and the Centre to take appropriate action against the attackers,” he said.
Archbishop Thazhath further alleged that the assailants first stopped the group’s vehicle, deflated its tyres, and tore their clothes. “The truth is that it is the Constitution itself that is being attacked,” he added.
The incident is expected to be raised by the Opposition in Parliament, with a demand for discussion on alleged rising attacks against minorities, particularly Christian priests and nuns, in states governed by the BJP.
According to the complaint, around 70 Bajrang Dal activists attacked two Malayali priests and two Malayali nuns who were on their way to a Christian prayer meeting. The mob reportedly accused them of religious conversion, took one of the priest’s mobile phones, and assaulted local residents who were present.
Video footage of the attack shows the victims being blocked and assaulted as they arrived in a village in Jaleswar.
The incident comes days after two Kerala nuns were released from Durg Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, having been granted bail by a special NIA court in Bilaspur. The nuns had been falsely accused by Bajrang Dal members of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, allegations that were later dismissed after investigation.
That case had triggered widespread outrage, particularly in Kerala, where political parties, excluding the BJP, had taken to the streets to condemn the increasing attacks on Christians.
In Thiruvananthapuram, hundreds of priests and nuns marched to the official residence of the Kerala Governor to register their protest.
