"BJP and RSS pursuing politics of hatred, polarisation": D Raja amid outrage over arrest of two Kerala nuns in Chhattisgarh

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): CPI General Secretary D Raja on Thursday condemned the arrest of two Kerala nuns in the BJP-led government in Chhattisgarh on charges of trafficking and religious conversion and accused the BJP and RSS of pursuing a "politics of hatred and polarisation."
Raja added that CPI MPs are now engaging with the central government, seeking a meeting with the Union Home Minister to address the matter.
Speaking to ANI, Raja said, "Firstly, our party condemns what is happening in Chhattisgarh today, including the arrest of nuns. Our party and CPI(M) sent a delegation to Chhattisgarh. Our MPs and top women leaders went there. They met with nuns and raised the issue. Now, our MPs are trying to address this at the centre. They are attempting to meet the Union HM. Let us wait and see what the union government will say"
"But one thing is very clear: the BJP and RSS, combined, are pursuing a politics of hatred and polarisation. They divide people in the name of religion and have become very aggressive in attacking minorities. They say one thing in Chhattisgarh and another in Kerala. This exposes the hypocrisy of the BJP," he alleged.
On Wednesday, Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat visited the Durg Central Jail in Chhattisgarh, where two Kerala-based nuns are currently lodged following their arrest on charges of trafficking and forced religious conversion.
Karat, who was joined by CPI leaders Annie Raja and other members of a party delegation, met the nuns and later condemned the arrests as unjust, calling them part of a "targeted attack" on the Christian community in the state.
Two Kerala-based nuns were arrested at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 25 over charges of human trafficking and religious conversion.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Karat said, "Two nuns who have been serving the poor here for years were jailed today on the basis of a fake allegation and a manufactured lie. A tribal boy who had no fault was also beaten up and jailed today. What kind of law is this that people of Bajrang Dal or any RSS outfit beat those girls and a boy like this in front of the police and law enforcement agencies?"
"They are doing all this under the protection of the government. This is a targeted attack on the Christian community," Karat added.
On July 27, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) also strongly condemned the alleged incident, claiming that, according to reports, the women had explicit written permission from their parents but were physically assaulted after being arrested. (ANI)