Arrest and unrest , Pg 10.

Key Highlights:

• Two Catholic nuns from Kerala were arrested in Chhattisgarh under charges of human trafficking and forced conversion.
• The nuns were escorting three tribal girls to a convent in Agra when Bajrang Dal activists intervened.
• They were booked under Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968 and Section 143 of BNS.
• The girls’ families later confirmed no coercion or forced conversion took place.
• Widespread condemnation followed, including protests by MPs from Kerala and criticism from Church bodies.
• The incident adds to a pattern of communal vigilantism and misuse of anti-conversion laws.
• There is growing tension in tribal regions over religious identity and conversion debates.

Detailed Insights:

• Freedom of religion, including propagation, is protected under Article 25 of the Constitution.
• Anti-conversion laws in multiple states are increasingly being used to criminalise interfaith activity and suppress minority rights.
• The Sarna vs. Hindutva narrative in tribal areas adds to socio-religious polarisation.
• The demand for delisting converted tribals from ST status adds complexity to affirmative action policies.
• This case reflects institutional overreach, rising moral policing, and erosion of constitutional safeguards.
• Law enforcement and political machinery must safeguard rights rather than be complicit in their violation.

Concepts Involved:

• Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act: Penalises conversion by force, fraud, or inducement.
• Section 143 of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita): Pertains to offences related to trafficking.
• Sarna Code: A proposed religious code to recognize the distinct faith practices of tribal communities.