NEW DELHI: Wayanad Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a protest in the Parliament premises on Wednesday, demanding the release of nuns currently lodged in a Chhattisgarh jail.
The nuns were arrested on July 26 over allegations of human trafficking and forcible religious conversion.
Despite Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar's statement on Tuesday that the arrest was a result of miscommunication and that neither trafficking nor religious conversion had taken place, the Congress continued its protest, accusing the authorities of targeting minorities.
Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Nuns from Kerala were very badly treated. They were accused of things that they were not doing. They were manhandled. They were taken away by the Chhattisgarh Police. We are protesting against this kind of attack on the minority."
She further said, "We demand an end to these kinds of atrocities against minorities. No one can accuse people of something that they have not done. We have already raised this issue in Parliament and will raise it today also."
When asked whether she expects the government to take action, the Congress leader said, "Frankly, the government doesn't take any action against anything except their publicity, their PR and when elections are coming. I don't expect any action from the government, but this is our duty to raise our voice."