Days after the Congress party and its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi politicised the arrest of 2 Catholic nuns, accused of forcibly converting and trafficking 3 young women, one of the victims has now turned hostile.
A 21-year-old woman, who was rescued by the Government Railway Police (GRP) based on a complaint by Bajrang Dal, has alleged coercion by the Hindu rights organisation.
She claimed that her family has followed Christianity for the past 4-5 years. The victim alleged that she was going to Agra with the 2 Catholic nuns with the ‘consent’ of her parents.
Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith – this isn’t justice, it’s BJP-RSS mob rule.
It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime.
UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent.… https://t.co/as67WaLmdV
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 28, 2025
She claimed to have been going to Bhopal to work at a Christian hospital on a salary of ₹10,000. The 21-year-old woman, essentially rescued by the Bajrang Dal, has alleged assault by an activist named Jyoti Sharma.
The victim turned hostile within 2 days of the Congress party raking up the case, with the outrageous claim of persecution of Christian minorities. They attempted to blame the BJP and RSS while giving a clean chit to the 2 Catholic nuns.
In a tweet on Monday (28th July), Rahul Gandhi had claimed, “Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith – this isn’t justice, it’s BJP-RSS mob rule. It reflects a dangerous pattern: systematic persecution of minorities under this regime.”
“UDF MPs protested in Parliament today. We will not be silent. Religious freedom is a constitutional right. We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice,” he further alleged.
I strongly condemn the shocking incident at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 25. The detention of two Christian nuns—Sister Vandanha and Sister Preethi—along with others, without legal basis and on false allegations of conversion and trafficking, is a grave attack on…
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 28, 2025
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also posted a similar tweet on Monday (28th July), wherein she absolved the 2 nuns of serious charges pertaining to forced religious conversion and human trafficking.
She claimed, “I strongly condemn the shocking incident at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 25. The detention of two Christian nuns—Sister Vandanha and Sister Preethi—along with others, without legal basis and on false allegations of conversion and trafficking, is a grave attack on minority rights.“
“This is not an isolated case — under BJP rule, minorities are being systematically harassed and vilified. Mob justice and communal targeting have no place in our democracy. The rule of law must prevail,” Priyanka Gandhi brazened out.
Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other party leaders, protested outside Parliament against the arrest of nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/vWBr0eFQA1
— IANS (@ians_india) July 30, 2025
She did not stop at a tweet but was seen leading a protest outside the Parliament building on Wednesday (30th July). Priyanka Gandhi was seen holding a placard, which read, ‘Release the Nuns. Arrest the Goons.’
Coincidentally, a day later on Thursday (21st July), reports surfaced in the media stating that a 21-year-old victim (rescued by the GRP on the basis of a complaint by Bajrang Dal) has claimed that the two Catholic nuns are innocent.
Similar to Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the victim, in a statement (after 6 days of the arrest), blamed the RSS and the police.
The Background of the Case
On 25th July, the Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested two Catholic nuns from Durg city of Chhattisgarh. The accused were identified as Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis.
The duo, originally from Kerala, were found involved in forced religious conversion and human trafficking. The two Catholic nuns were caught taking 3 young women, aged between 18 and 20 years, to Agra.
The GRP foiled their plans and arrested Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis along with a third accomplice, identified as Sukaman Mandavi. The accused were produced before a local court in Durg, which sent the trio to 14 days in judicial custody.
Preeti Mary, Vandana Francis and Sukaman Mandavi were booked under Section 143 (trafficking of persons) of BNS and relevant sections of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
The 3 young women, who were being trafficked by the Catholic nuns, hailed from Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.
After being rescued by the Government Railway Police, the victims were sent to ‘Sakhi One Stop Centre.’
In the meantime, Hindu rights group Bajrang Dal demanded strict action against the 3 accused, involved in forced conversion and human trafficking.
Bajrang Dal leader Ravi Nigam informed, “The nuns had come to Durg merely a day before without any valid reason. They were about to board a train along with the rescued girls to Agra when we spotted them.”