By now, the entire country has come to know about the shameful incident that took place at Jhansi railway station in Uttar Pradesh last week and revealed only a couple of days ago after a social media video went viral wherein four Christian women were seen to be heckled by a gang of members of ABVP. So far from the details that have emerged, it’s clear the incident was an outcome of a suspicion by the vigilante group that the two nuns who were in their religious attire were taking the accompanying ladies in civilian clothes for a forceful religious conversion. It took little time for an eruption of nation-wide reprimand with the central issue of discussion being to what extent the idea and practice of religious intolerance in the country will see further depreciation. Two schools of thought have emerged attributing the reasons- one arguing it’s only a fallout of the prevailing poor law and order situation in the BJP-ruled UP and the other finding it as yet another effect of fading plurality across the country that have been downgraded over the last 6 years. Taking an apolitical line of thinking, it can be said that both the above factors will be the cause.
The said incident took place on March 19 and the video clearly shows the two nuns and two postulants belonging to the Sacred Heart convent under Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church while travelling on Utkal Express route were facing a barrage of questions from the mob, the members of which seemed to be the self-declared warriors of religious policing. Even after repeatedly saying they are already Christians by birth and producing their Aadhar cards as proof and there is no question of any attempt by the nuns for forced conversion, the mob wasn’t satisfied. Under such an extreme hostile environment which was four women against 100+ aggressive males, there was no alternative for them but to deboard the train. However a new chapter of ordeal unfolded as they were taken into custody and then grilled for five hours, again entirely on the claims and pressure by the said gang. No ‘charges’ were proved and it was only after intervention by the officials of a local church, final respite came. Marked absence of any suo moto effort by the UP police to nab the culprits and Kerala CM’s letter to the Union Home Minister seeking urgent action has added a new dimension to the issue.
It’s divine intervention that might have prevented the incident from culminating into a more serious one like lynching, instances of which are aplenty in recent years. However, it will remain as yet another episode of religious intolerance.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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