National Minorities Commission files complaint in nuns ‘attack’ case

The National Commission for Minorities has taken note of the alleged attack on nuns at the Jhansi railway station in Uttar Pradesh last week though no official complaint has been received.

“The incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh but is resonating in Kerala because elections are underway there,” National Commission for Minorities Vice-Chairman Atif Rasheed told ThePrint.

Since the nuns hailed from Kerala, state’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took cognizance of the ‘incident’ and asked for the intervention of Home Minister Amit Shah, who promptly responded by saying  “an inquiry will be conducted into the matter”.

Of course, it is no secret that both the Left and BJP were trying to impress and win over Christians in Kerala, which will go to polls on April 6.

Shah did fulfill his promise to inquire into the matter. Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in Kochi a few days back that “there was no attack on any nun whatsoever”. Goyal said, “The Chief Minister of the state (Kerala) is completely lying and making false statements.”

Also read: ‘Kerala CM lying’: Railway minister on claim nuns were attacked in train

National Commission for Minorities Vice-Chairman Atif Rasheed too admitted that the alleged incident appears political in nature, but he has still directed his department to file a report. “We haven’t received any official complaint yet. Even though the whole episode reeks of politics, we have already taken suo moto cognisance of the incident. We have also directed the Jhansi District Magistrate to file a report. We had sent our notice on March 25 and the district authorities are expected to reply by April 5,” said Rasheed.

Also read: CPI(M) mouthpiece accuses Congress-BJP of conspiring against Kerala CM

As per the initial complaint, the nuns were detained on March 19 after local Bajrang Dal activists complained that two women were allegedly being taken for religious conversion using force. The police, on verification, found out that the Bajrang Dal’s complaint could not be proved and all four women were allowed to go.

Former union minister K J Alphonse was the first one to take up the issue with Home Minister Amit Shah. Kerala BJP general secretary George Kurian too wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the topic.