Protest Erupts in Mangaluru Against Arrest of Christian Nuns in Chhattisgarh
Mangaluru: A demonstration organized by the Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane took place near Clock Tower in Mangaluru today, protesting the arrest and imprisonment of two Christian nuns in Chhattisgarh. The organization alleges the nuns were falsely charged, and the protest served as a condemnation of what they described as fascist politics enacted by the Chhattisgarh state government.
Demonstrators called for the immediate release of the nuns and the retraction of all charges against them.
Anita Frank, a prominent women’s leader from the Mangalore Diocese, addressed the crowd, asserting that the constitutional rights of all communities are being undermined by targeted hate politics. She claimed that minorities are increasingly under attack across the nation, with support from both the central government and the BJP-led state administrations. Frank stated that this environment has created a climate of fear for Christian and Muslim communities throughout India.
Ishwari Belthangady, district leader of the Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane, criticized the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of failing to protect women despite its pro-women rhetoric. Belthangady condemned the imprisonment of the nuns, whom she described as symbols of love and service, alleging that Sangh Parivar elements had levied false accusations against them. She further accused the BJP government in Chhattisgarh of hypocrisy, contrasting their actions with displays of concern for the Christian community by BJP leaders in Kerala.
Other speakers, including Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane leaders Kiran Prabha, Jayanti Shetty, and Samarasya Mangalore President Manjula Nayak, characterized the attacks against the Christian community, often justified in the name of preventing religious conversion, as a “massacre of democracy.”
The protest drew a significant crowd, including notable participants such as Pramila Shaktinagar, Flavy Crasta Attavar, Asuntha D’Souza, Shameema Banu, Usha Fernandes, Zita Moras, Bharathi Bolar, Jayalakshmi, Latha Lakshman, Yogitha Ullal, Violet, Tulasi, Merlyn Rego, Vidya Shenai, Rashmi Vamanjoor, Archana Ramachandra, Nancy Fernandes, Asha Bolur, Soumya Panjimogaru, and Manjula Vamanjoor, all identified as leaders within the Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane.
