Kochi: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) president Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath on Friday urged both the Odisha government and the Centre for 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,” IANS reported, quoting him.
He alleged that attackers stopped the vehicle in which they were travelling and deflated the tyres. “Then their clothes were torn. The truth is that it is the Constitution itself that is being attacked,” he added.
Congress MP Hibi Eden has also given notice of an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, seeking a discussion on the alleged attack. He alleged that the attackers falsely accused the church members of religious conversion and assaulted them. He termed the incident as a ‘communal abuse’..
On August 6, around 70 Bajrang Dal activists allegedly assaulted two Catholic priests, a catechist, and two nuns from Kerala at a village near Jaleswar amid accusations of religious conversion. The incident took place while they were returning at around 8 pm after attending a memorial service at the home of a Christian believer, who had passed away two years ago. The attackers physically assaulted them, tore their clothes and snatched away their mobile phones, the Mathrubhumi reported.
It further stated that they were later rescued by police, who arrived after nearly half an hour.
This attack came just a week after two nuns from Kerala were released from Central Jail in Durg, Chhattisgarh, after being granted bail by a NIA court. They were arrested on July 25 over allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion.
