The All India Christian Council (aicc) has condemned the public humiliation of four nuns in Tirupati on 25 June 2006, terming it as inhuman and barbaric.

In a press release issued on 26 June 2006, aicc leaders said, “The members of Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu Parirakshana deliberately raised allegations against the nuns belonging to the Sisters of Charity founded by Mother Teresa for visiting Ruya Hospital on 25 June 2006. They attacked the nuns and got them arrested for visiting sick people and comforting them.”

The statement signed by Rev Christopher, Sam Paul, aicc Chittoor District Coordinator  Bayya Mary, aicc director (South Asia) Kumar Swamy, State legal Cell Secretary Prakash and aicc national administrator Albert Lael  said there was neither any preaching of Christianity nor any attempt to convert patients in the  hospital. But the Hindutva organisations made it an issue as their primary aim was to attack Christians and create communal tensions. “This kind of religious attacks goes against the Constitution of India. The Constitution provides freedom of religion to choose any faith. Nobody embraces a religion by force.”

The Christian leaders demanded that the organisations and people involved in the attack on the nuns be punished. The Government should take measures to stop anything that disturbs peace and creates tension among religious communities,” they said.

“If the BJP and its associate member organisations do not stop such acts, the Christian Council will be forced to seek legal means to protect themselves,” they said. They demanded that the district and government officials take adequate measures to see that such incidents were not repeated.