Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who allegedly heckled and forced two nuns and two novices to get off a train in the Jhansi district, are now in the midst of a major controversy. ABVP members suspected them of conducting religious conversion. They were allowed to proceed only after an inquiry at the railway station established there was no conversion involved. The ABVP is the student's wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the BJP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised action in the matter. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Shah seeking strict action in the matter.
"Those involved in the Jhansi nuns' harassment incident will be brought before the law," Amit Shah told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday.
According to reports, the incident took place on March 19 when the nuns were travelling on the Haridwar-Puri Utkal Express.
"Such incidents tarnish the image of the nation and its ancient tradition of religious tolerance. Such incidents require utmost condemnation by the Union government. I would request your kind intervention to instruct authorities to take strict action on all groups, individuals who disrupt, impair the freedom of individual rights guaranteed by the constitution," the Chief Minister wrote.
A 25-second video from the train compartment shows the women surrounded by some men, some of whom appear to be policemen.
"Go get your luggage. You will be sent home if what you are saying is correct," a man is heard saying while another is heard saying, "Why are you indulging in netagiri?"
"Arre what netagiri. Chaliye madam. Jaldi uthao samaan," the third man is saying.
Naeem Khan Mansuri, the Superintendent of Railway Police in Jhansi in a detailed statement said: "There were some members of the ABVP who were returning from a training camp in Rishikesh on board the Utkal Express to Jhansi.
"Four Christian ladies were travelling on the same train from Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi to Rourkela in Odisha. Two of them were nuns and two were under training. These members of the ABVP suspected that these two nuns were taking the other two women for conversion because the nuns were speaking to the other ladies.
"They informed the Railway Protection Force that then informed the railway police. These ABVP members also gave a written complaint about conversion. I reached the spot and made inquiries. These inquiries revealed that the two other women were from Odisha's Rourkela and were under training.
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"We checked their certificates and both had 2003 baptism certificates and this proved both women by birth were Christian and that no conversion was involved. After this, we sent all four women onwards to their destination in Odisha."
When contacted on Wednesday, the SP, however, did not respond to calls.
It is not clear yet if any action has been taken against the ABVP members who were involved in the harassment.