Nagpur: More than 2,000 Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs joined Christians of various denominations in a central India city on Wednesday to express solidarity with a Catholic nun who was allegedly gangraped.
“We want justice to be done, and justice at the earliest,” asserted Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur while addressing the protesters who braved rain to gather on St Francis Cathedral grounds.
Church groups and others say the 48-year-old member of the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate Sister(SMMI) was gang raped at a maternity hospital in Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh state on June 19-20 night.
The police and Chhattisgarh administration dismissed the incident as a molestation case.
The inter-religious gathering in Nagpur comprising men, women, youth, and children organized candle light prayer in support of the nun victim and press authorities to book the culprits immediately. They also took part in a signature campaign.
Archbishop Viruthakulangara regretted that the authorities have not done anything to book the perpetrators of the “heinous crime” even after 10 days. He termed the incident as an attack on the dignity of a woman.
“The government which is supposed to take care of their people should consider their responsibility to guarantee security and protection to all specially the weaker sections, women and minorities. They should not shy away from their responsibility by saying that a nurse was disturbed,” he added.
The 72-year-old prelate, who visited Raipur soon after the attack, said they were protesting against “such casual and irresponsible attitude of responsible persons, be it government, bureaucracy or police.”
“Christians are a peace loving community, but we cannot allow our peaceful life to be disturbed by planned attacks on us. We are part and parcel of this ancient motherland like anyone else,” the archbishop said.
A large backdrop at the cathedral read, “Stand up for Women today, tomorrow is too late.”
Leelatai Chitaley, who at the age of 12 witnessed Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, asked why the majority Indians are harassing the minority. “We are all one” asserted the 85-year-old woman at the Nagpur program.
“It is painful to see women made to suffer. Whatever is done to a woman is done to all because we are all of one country. Woman is a mother, sister, daughter and wife. We have to protect them,” she said.
She urged the government to stop what she termed as “human made calamity.”
The attack on the sister who serving the poor at the maternity home came three months after a 74-year-old nun was gang raped in West Bengal.
A day earlier, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) joined Delhi archdiocese to organize A protest program in front of Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi.
Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi regretted the government inaction to arrest culprits involved in a series of attacks on churches in Delhi and assaults on Christians, especially nuns, at various parts of the country.
The prelate said he suspects a sinister plan was underway to intimidate missionaries through rape. Such tactics, he added, will not deter Christians from their work of serving the poor and the downtrodden.
CBCI Deputy Secretary General Monsignor Joseph Chinnayyan said the Raipur incident was not isolated but part of an well planned strategy to target Christians and frighten missionaries.
Meanwhile a coalition in India’s Chhattisgarh state has called for a general strike on July 8 to protest what it says is the snail-paced action by authorities investigating the nun’s rape.
Leaders from the Sanyukt Sangarsh Samiti, (joint action committee) banded together after the June 20 rape. It accused police of inaction after authorities said they had no clues to identify the perpetrators of the attack.
A group within the committee has called for the closure of schools starting July 1, in series of protest actions.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has pledged its support. It plans to launch a statewide protest on July 4 and if not arrest are made by then a general strike nine days later.
At least 45 organizations within the state rallied a coalition June 24 on behalf of the nun, whose rape shocked Indians.
Other coalition members include: All India Women Democratic Association, Student Federation of India, Insurance Union of Working Women, Raipur division, Democratic Youth Federation Of India, the state Christian Forum, United Trade Union Council of Raipur, and Nadi Ghati Morcha.