Vijayan condemns 'harassment' of nuns by Hindu outfit members

Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday strongly condemned the alleged harassment of a group of nuns by some Bajrang Dal activists inUP's Jhansi recently and urged the Centre to take action, saying such incidents tarnish the image of the nation.

Thiruvalla(Ker): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to take action against Bajrang Dal members and police officers of Jhansi who allegedly harassed four nuns while they were travelling, by train from New Delhi to Rourkela in Odisha.

The Chief Minister said that the nuns were forcefully removed from the train by the Jhansi police without the presence of women police officials and despite nuns showing the Mahar ID cards, police did not accept those cards stating that they are fake and kept them at the police station till late night.

"Dear Amit Shah, I would like to bring to your kind attention the reported shocking incident of four nuns including two postulants subjected to harassment by Bajrang Dal members and the police at Jhansi, while they were travelling, by train from New Delhi to Rourkela in Odisha," the letter read.

Vijayan said the two postulants who had recently joined the Sacred Hearts Congregation of the Delhi Province were travelling for the first time to their homes accompanied by two nuns were harassed and intimidated by around 150 Bajrang Dal activists.

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"It is also reported that the nuns and the postulants were forcefully removed from the train by the Jhansi police without the presence of women police officials and despite nuns showing the Mahar ID cards police did not accept those cards staring that they are fake," the Chief Minister stated.

"It was only after the matter was taken up with higher officials and after the intervention of Lucknow IG of police, the nuns and Postulants were released from the police station around 11 PM in night," read the letter.

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Vijayan said such incidents tarnish the image of the nation and its ancient tradition of religious tolerance and practice.

"Such incidents require utmost condemnation by the Union Government. I would, therefore, request for your kind intervention to instruct the authorities concerned to take strict action on all groups and individuals who disrupt and impair the freedom of individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution," it added.

(ANI)