The Congress party launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, accusing it of promoting religious intolerance following the detention of a Christian priest and eleven other individuals during a Christmas prayer meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Details of the Nagpur Incident
The Maharashtra Police arrested twelve people, including Father Sudhir, a Malayali priest affiliated with the CSI South Kerala Diocese's Nagpur Mission, and his wife Jasmine. The arrests occurred at approximately 8:00 PM on Tuesday during the prayer gathering. According to opposition leaders, the police action was initiated based on a complaint filed by activists associated with the Bajrang Dal.
Congress leaders further alleged that individuals who later visited the police station to inquire about the incident were also taken into custody, with cases registered against them. All arrested persons are reportedly detained at the Benoda Police Station and are expected to be presented before a court soon.
Strong Condemnation from Congress Leaders
Congress MP KC Venugopal took to social media platform X to label the incident as "highly condemnable." He accused the BJP of exploiting state machinery to harass the Christian community under the false pretext of preventing religious conversions.
"Growing polarisation has made life unlivable for all minorities in BJP-ruled states," Venugopal stated. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the First Information Report (FIR) against the priest and called for strict action against what he termed "Bajrang Dal goons" for their alleged hooliganism.
"Those who take law into their own hands and destroy the secular fabric envisioned in our Constitution must be the ones receiving punishment - not innocent citizens," the Congress MP asserted.
Kerala Opposition Leader Seeks Intervention
VD Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, also condemned the arrests and sought urgent intervention from the central government and the Maharashtra administration. In a post on X, he tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding the release of all detainees.
In a formal letter, Satheesan noted that Father Sudhir is a native of Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram district and has been serving in Maharashtra for the past five years. The other ten arrested individuals are natives of Maharashtra.
He described the event as deeply disturbing, stating it raised serious concerns about the violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution, particularly the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion. "Arresting individuals for conducting a peaceful prayer meeting is unconstitutional and contrary to the spirit of our democratic and secular values," Satheesan wrote.
The incident has ignited a fresh political controversy, highlighting ongoing tensions around religious freedom and conversion laws in several Indian states.
