Bastar rights group slams women’s commission for failing tribal victims in durg nun case

By A Representative

The Bastar Adhikar Mukti Morcha has strongly condemned the Chhattisgarh State Women’s Commission for failing to deliver justice to three tribal women who had approached it after their ordeal in the controversial “Durg Nun case.” On July 25, 2025, Nuns Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested at Durg railway station following a complaint by a Bajrang Dal functionary alleging forced conversions and trafficking. The tribal women from Narayanpur district—Sukhmati Mandavi, Kamleshwari Pradhan and Lalita Usendi—later sought intervention from the Women’s Commission, accusing Bajrang Dal members of harassment.

The Morcha alleged that instead of supporting the complainants, the Commission subjected them to victim-blaming, politically motivated questioning and insensitive treatment. According to the statement, the Commission mocked their religious beliefs, asked why they traveled outside Narayanpur for work, and implied they were being paid by the church. It further accused the Commission of affirming unproven allegations of forced conversion and suggesting that the women’s testimonies were scripted. “Such actions left the young women traumatized,” the statement said.

Despite video evidence naming specific individuals accused of abuse, including Jyoti Sharma, Ravi Nigam and Ratan Yadav, the Commission did not ensure the registration of an FIR. Neither has any action been taken against railway police officials allegedly complicit in the incident. The Morcha also charged that the Women’s Commission acted with political bias, undermining its independence and credibility, and protecting the accused rather than vulnerable victims.

“This is a complete misuse of the Commission’s mandate. Instead of upholding justice, it has aligned itself with a political agenda. The institution was created through women’s struggles, and its betrayal of trust is deeply disturbing,” said Navneet Chand, Principal Coordinator of the Bastar Adhikar Mukti Morcha. He demanded immediate corrective action, including filing of FIRs against the accused, punishment of guilty policemen, proper compensation to the victims, and restoration of the Commission’s dignity and impartiality.

The Morcha warned that the handling of the case highlights broader systemic failures in protecting poor and marginalized tribal women, leaving them without institutional recourse or support.

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

Counterview

Search This Blog