THE National Council of Churches in India has condemned the brutal sexual assault on a nun in Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh on June 22.
The nun who is in her mid-forties belongs to the Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate.
She was brutally attacked, molested and raped in Raipur on June 22. She was found semi clad, unconscious and hands tied in a medical center run by Christian Missionaries near Pandri locality in Chattisgarh.
Sister Annie John, the nun’s superior revealed that the victim was wakened by the sound of cupboards being opened and the victim asked if they were looking for money. The attackers forced the victim to swallow tablet before they raped her. The victim is in acute trauma and pain.
Incidence of attacks on Christians have been on the rise ever since the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office last year.
Two months earlier, in March 2015, a 74 -year old nun was raped by six men at a local convent school in Ranaghat, West Bengal after they entered the premises to rob the building. The rape came after a series of incidents, including thefts, at Delhi churches that put church leaders in India on alert about religious violence.
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) said: “Rape, sexual assault, abuse and attack on women, children from minority communities is increasing in alarming rate in India. Such attacks are heinous crimes. We request the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi to consider this phenomenon seriously and intervene to ensure the safety of citizens, particularly minority communities. We urge our prime minister to protect religious freedom and ensure safety of women in our country.”
Moumita Biswas, the Executive Secretary of All India Council of Christian Women (AICCW), said: “Rape is being used as a weapon of expressing hatred and religious intolerance. Recurring phenomenon of targeting nuns and Christian missionaries is nothing but a deliberate attempt to inflict humiliation on minority community.” NCCI news release
