Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
CBCI
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – The nation’s constitutional rights must be protected and guaranteed. This is what the Indian bishops are asking for in an appeal to the government in the face of “the growing climate of hostility and violence against minorities throughout the country.”The intervention of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) comes a few days after the arrest of two nuns at the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh. Government railway police detained Sisters Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis of the Green Garden Sisters.The nuns were accompanying three young women and an adult man belonging to a tribal group who were reportedly traveling from Narayanpur, in the diocese of Jagdalpur, to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, where they had been offered jobs in a Catholic-run hospital. “Although the young women were over 18 and had given their parents’ written consent, according to the bishops, the nuns were arrested after pressure from community members. They were allegedly subjected to physical assault. When the young women’s parents arrived at the police station, officers allegedly prevented them from seeing their daughters.“Christian sisters are increasingly targeted by social agitators who surround them at train stations, incite crowds, and use abusive language. These actions,” the CBCI stated, “pose a grave threat not only to the dignity and modesty of these women, but also to their lives.” Calling these repeated incidents a “grave violation of the Constitution,” the Indian bishops urged state governments to “ensure the safety of all women and take immediate steps to prevent such incidents,” while requesting urgent intervention from the central government in Delhi.The CBCI’s concern arose after a series of incidents that, according to the bishops, “reflect the deterioration of institutional impartiality. One such incident occurred on June 17, 2025, when BJP MP Shri Gopichand Padalkar allegedly incited public opinion against Christians by announcing monetary rewards for attacks on Christian priests.” The Indian Catholic bishops, in their statement, cited the MP’s alleged remarks: “Whoever hits the first priest will receive a reward of five lakh rupees, whoever hits the second will receive four lakhs, and the third will receive three lakhs.”This incitement, the Indian bishops explained, “justifies immediate legal action. The speech, widely disseminated through videos and media, was explicit, direct, and poses a real threat to public order. Such acts constitute a serious offense under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian Penal Code, which came into force in 2024), which criminalizes promoting enmity between different groups and threatens national unity. Despite the gravity of the statement and the peaceful protests by concerned citizens, the relevant authorities have remained indifferent.”According to the CBCI, “recent events indicate the deconstruction of the rule of law, leading to anarchy, something no nation can afford.” Given the gravity of the situation, “the Indian bishops urged the government and all political parties to overcome any partisanship and adopt appropriate constitutional measures to protect the country and all its citizens. We must act immediately to protect the principles enshrined in the Constitution and defend the dignity and rights of all citizens, regardless of their religion.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 30/7/2025)
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