Christians and others took out processions and staged protests in Mangaluru and Udupi on Monday demanding justice for Kerala nuns and a tribal youth arrested in Chhattisgarh on July 25, and subsequently released on bail on August 2.

Holding the protest outside mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru under the auspices of Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh, they stood in solidarity with Sister Preethi Mary and Sister Vandana Francis — both from Kerala — and Sukaman Mandavi of Narayanpur, arrested at Durg Railway Station on alleged charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion of three tribal women.

Speaking on the occasion, Sr. Severine Menezes, former president of Mangaluru unit of the Conference of Religious India (CRI) said that Christian institutions serve the most vulnerable with education, healthcare, and social uplift. “To accuse us of coercion is to attack every person who selflessly serves.”

Fr. Dominic Vas, present CRI president of Mangaluru chapter and Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Church, Bikarnakatta, stated: “We are patriots—not fanatics. This case is fabricated and must be quashed. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Roy Castelino, Public Relation Officer of Mangaluru Diocese said: “The woman who lodged the complaint has vanished. Yet the sisters were quickly arrested. This is not justice. We demand that Jyothi Sharma face charges for filing a false, malicious complaint.”

At Udupi

Catholic Sabha of Udupi Pradesh held the protest at Ajjarakadu in Udupi.

Speaking on the occasion Gananatha Ekkar, a former college teacher, said that the country had over 30,000 Christian education institutes and over 50 lakh persons, from different religions, benefitted from them.

The sabha demanded withdrawal of the case filed against the three persons.