New Delhi | Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday said a delegation of Left party leaders was barred from meeting the catholic nuns who were arrested on allegations of human trafficking in Chhattisgarh's Durg.
CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby on X condemned the action and called it an attempt to suppress the truth.
"The effort to prevent the Left leaders from meeting the nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh is a desperate attempt to suppress the truth. We will not be cowed down by such delaying tactics. We stand firm in our attempt to ensure justice to the jailed nuns," Baby said.
In a statement, the CPI(M) condemned the Durg Jail administration's action, and alleged that the nuns were arrested under "fabricated" charges by the Chhattisgarh GRP.
"This attempt to suppress transparency, accountability, and the rights of individuals is unjustifiable," the party said.
The delegation consisted of CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and MPs K Radhakrishnan and AA Rahim, CPI leader Annie Raja and MP P P Suneer, and Kerala Congress (M) leader and MP Jose K Mani.
The CPI(M) said they were refused permission on flimsy grounds, despite seeking written permission well in advance.
The delegation was, however, permitted to meet the nuns tomorrow after the protest.
"The initial refusal to allow political leaders and elected representatives of the people to visit and assess the condition of those detained further underscores the state's disturbing disregard for due process and human rights," the CPI(M) said.
"Such actions are a direct affront to democratic principles, aimed to stifle inquiry and silence voices of dissent. It underscores the authoritarian character of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and states," it said.
The CPI(M) said the charges levelled against the nuns were without merit and constituted a gross violation of their fundamental rights.
"The arrest of the nuns is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of undermining religious freedom and harassing minority communities," the party said.
"There is a pattern in this arrest, done at the behest of the Bajrang Dal. The right to practice one's faith freely and peacefully, as enshrined in our Constitution, must be protected at all costs," it added.
According to reports, two Kerala-based nuns were arrested in Chhattisgarh on allegations of human trafficking and forced conversion raised by Bajrang Dal activists.
Their arrest has triggered a political slugfest, with opposition leaders slamming the incident as an attack on Christians.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai accused the opposition parties on Monday of politicising the issue, saying he was concerned about the safety of "our daughters from Bastar."
However, the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) virtually rejected Sai's statements on Tuesday, saying the nuns were not involved in any human trafficking or forced conversion attempts.
