Kerala BJP distances itself from Bajrang Dal after nuns’ arrest in Chhattisgarh

Even three years ago, the idea of Kerala’s BJP unit intervening in the arrest of Catholic nuns in a BJP-ruled state would have seemed politically inconceivable. Today, however, that is exactly the situation, with the party under significant pressure following the arrest of two Kerala-born nuns in Chhattisgarh under serious charges, including alleged religious conversion and human trafficking.

The incident has triggered strong reactions from both the Church and civil society in Kerala, exposing the delicate balancing act the BJP is trying to maintain, wooing Christian voters in Kerala while adhering to its hardline ideological stance in BJP-ruled states like Chhattisgarh. Left with little choice, the party dispatched a delegation to Chhattisgarh led by state general secretary Anoop Antony, though the move has had limited impact. The BJP’s Kerala unit has since been forced to publicly defend the nuns and carefully distance itself from the actions of its northern counterparts.

Also read: Kerala BJP chief rejects Chhattisgarh CM's conversion allegations after nuns' arrest

Misunderstanding, says Chandrasekhar

“Sisters Preeta Mary and Vandana Francis are neither human traffickers nor proselytisers, as alleged by Bajrang Dal activists,” said Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in New Delhi on Tuesday (July 29). “I am fully convinced that this is a case of misunderstanding and miscommunication,” Chandrasekhar said.

He added that while the case was initially viewed as one of human trafficking, it now appears to be a procedural lapse related to registration under the Private Placement Agencies Regulation Act. He went on to say that the Bajrang Dal is not affiliated to the BJP but is an independent organisation, and the party in Kerala has no role in or connection to their actions.”

FIR and protests

Two nuns from the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate and a tribal man were arrested at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. They were accused of attempting to transport tribal women for forced conversion and illegal employment. The FIR includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, and human trafficking laws—all non-bailable. A local court has since denied them bail.

The arrests sparked immediate concern among Kerala’s Catholic communities, to which the arrested nuns belong. Major Church institutions in the state launched public campaigns and protests demanding their release and condemning the charges as fabricated and targeting religious minorities.

Also read: Kerala nuns' arrest in Chhattisgarh: Leaders, church seek justice

The Church’s official mouthpiece Deepika carried a sharply worded editorial titled Nuns Not Captive, But the Constitution, alleging that the arrest of the nuns is a symptom of a nation being redefined through a Hindutva lens. It criticised the BJP for advancing a political approach in which nuns are charged under serious offences in states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha, while being praised in Kerala. This contradiction, the editorial notes, is not lost on India’s secular society — comprising Hindus, Christians, and Muslims — which is beginning to take note. The piece also served as a gentle but pointed reminder to the BJP’s Kerala unit that the party’s words and actions no longer align.

False complaint, says Pinarayi

Across several dioceses, protest marches, prayer assemblies, and symbolic fasts were organised. The community’s concern has grown due to the use of anti-conversion laws in this context, which many fear, could be used to criminalise legitimate social work or missionary outreach in tribal areas.

“The arrest and imprisonment of the nuns were based on a false complaint filed by Bajrang Dal activists — a fact that has now become indisputably clear. This is the latest example of the Sangh Parivar’s aggression against the Christian community. The very same groups that visit Christian homes and convents with friendly smiles are now hunting down even nuns, accusing them of religious conversion and human trafficking. The Sangh Parivar fears the country’s pluralism and spirit of coexistence, which is why attacks against minorities continue unabated,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement.

Also read: Kerala: PM Modi takes political jibes, continues Christian outreach at Vizhinjam seaport event

Left MPs denied visit

MPs from both the CPI(M) and CPI were initially denied permission to meet the arrested women, while the UDF delegation, including MPs and MLAs, could meet the sisters earlier in the day. The Left parliamentarians had to wait a full day in Chhattisgarh to meet the nuns.

“We had applied well in advance for the visit, but the police in Raipur, acting on political instructions, denied us permission on flimsy grounds. This is how things are functioning here — entirely in line with the Sangh Parivar agenda. The BJP is targeting and humiliating Christians. The nuns asked, ‘Aren’t we Indian citizens too?’ Despite their health issues, they are being forced to sleep on the floor,” said Brinda Karat, senior CPI(M) leader, who led the delegation of Left leaders.

Multiple UDF MPs had raised the issue both in Parliament and on the ground, urging immediate intervention to secure the nuns’ release. However, the tepid initial response from the Congress at the national level drew criticism. Even Rahul Gandhi’s post on X was issued in the name of the UDF, not the Congress itself. This disconnect between regional assertiveness and national caution has once again raised questions about the party’s consistency on minority rights—particularly in BJP-ruled states where it is not in power.

Rare move by BJP

But perhaps the most politically delicate response came from the Kerala unit of the BJP. Keenly aware of the potential damage it could inflict on their imagined electoral gains, the state leadership moved quickly to distance itself from the allegations made by the Chhattisgarh administration.

This was a rare instance of a state BJP unit opposing or contradicting a BJP-led state government. While the Kerala BJP is attempting to project an inclusive image in a state with a significant Christian population, BJP governments in other parts of India are taking a hardline stance against missionary work and perceived conversions.

However, despite appeals from multiple quarters, the BJP government in Chhattisgarh has shown no inclination to alter its legal course. The police continue to assert that serious offences were committed and that the nuns were part of an organised network engaged in unlawful conversions and trafficking.

Also read: BJP bid to woo Kerala Christians takes a hit after Organiser article

Pressure on BJP

In Kerala, the incident has sharpened political contestation over religious freedom and the role of the Church in public life. The unified Church response, coupled with assertive political action by both the Left and the UDF, has increased pressure on the BJP to clarify its position—both at the state and national levels. For the Kerala BJP, which has spent years trying to shed its image of exclusivity and present itself as a viable option to Christian voters, the timing of this incident is particularly damaging.

The coming weeks will be critical, not only for the fate of the arrested nuns but also for how the BJP recalibrates its Christian outreach strategy in Kerala amidst growing contradictions between regional outreach and national policy enforcement.