New Delhi: As Kerala MPs led by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra protested in Parliament over the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion, senior party leader Shashi Tharoor was conspicuously absent.
Interestingly, Mr Tharoor was part of a protest on the same issue yesterday, but was not seen today. The absence sparked a buzz as it played out against the backdrop of Mr Tharoor's strained ties with the Congress leadership over his public remarks after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP was part of a protest by Kerala Congress MPs in the Parliament complex yesterday. Holding a placard that read, "India for all, proud to be one", Mr Tharoor told the media yesterday, "The nuns are innocent, they must be released. There should not be mob rule in the country. This is the government's responsibility."
At the protest today, Ms Gandhi Vadra said the nuns were accused of things they were not doing. "They were manhandled and then taken away by the Chhattisgarh police. We are protesting against these kinds of attacks on minorities," she told the media.
Shashi Tharoor has been making headlines for the past several months for his strained ties with the Congress leadership. An outstanding public speaker, the former diplomat was not on the Congress's list of speakers for the Operation Sindoor debate -- an omission that provided political ammunition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in the BJP.
Sources in the Congress have said that the party had approached Mr Tharoor to speak during the debate, but he refused to toe the party line and said he would not contradict himself "for the sake of party messaging".
Mr Tharoor has been on the receiving end of barbs from his party colleagues over his praise of the BJP government's response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Mr Tharoor recently said his "first loyalty" lies with the nation. "Parties are a means of making the nation better. So to my mind, whichever party you belong to, the objective of that party is to create a better India in its own way," he said.
The Congress, determined to corner the government on the sudden announcement of the ceasefire by US President Donald Trump and the intelligence failure that led to the Pahalgam attack, did not approve of Mr Tharoor's remarks.
Why Were Nuns Arrested
Two Kerala-based catholic nuns were arrested at Chhattisgarh's Durg station last week. Bajrang Dal supporters alleged that they were trafficking three minor tribal girls after promising them jobs and education. They have been charged with human trafficking under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and forced conversion under the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act.
The incident has sparked a massive row, with Opposition parties led by the Congress accusing the BJP government in Chhattisgarh of targeting minorities. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has said religious freedom is a constitutional right. "We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice," he said. Christian organisations have also voiced their protest.
In fact, the Kerala BJP has stressed that the nuns were not involved in any human trafficking or forced conversion attempts. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has said he would make all possible attempts to release the nuns from jail and bring them back home safe.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has defended the arrests, saying he is concerned about the safety of "our daughters of Bastar". He has accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of politicising the issue.
