Bhubaneswar — Sr. Sujata Jena, a lawyer and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, has strongly condemned rising intolerance and attacks on individuals based on their religious attire, calling such acts a violation of constitutional rights, human dignity, and a punishable offence.
Speaking to The Hindu, Sr. Jena, who serves in Bhubaneswar, dismissed allegations that nuns engage in religious conversion in tribal areas as “unfounded and politically motivated.” She said Catholic conversion procedures are voluntary and rigorous, and many Dalits and tribals embrace the faith for the dignity and human rights it offers, which are often denied under caste hierarchies.
Her comments come amid growing hostility towards Christian missionaries in north India. Citing data from the United Christian Forum, she noted that 834 incidents targeting Christians were reported in 2024 alone, including assaults, false arrests, church vandalism, denial of burial rights, and forced reconversions. She described how, in Odisha and other tribal regions, Christians are denied burials unless they agree to ‘ghar wapsi’ (reconversion), while pastors remain imprisoned on fabricated forced conversion charges.
Responding to recent guidelines issued by Catholic priest Fr. Suresh Mathew to protect nuns from hate attacks, Sr. Jena said they may help some congregations navigate rising threats. She explained that her own congregation historically never had a formal habit and that she personally does not wear one, avoiding such threats.
However, she warned that changing attire alone would not stop fundamentalist hostility. “The mindset of right-wing hooligans will not change even if habits are not worn in public,” she said, adding that the decision should be mission-driven, not fear-driven.
Quoting the Second Vatican Council’s Perfectae Caritatis, she emphasised that religious attire must be simple, modest, and suited to ministry needs, and noted that many congregations in India already use simpler clothing.
Sr. Jena urged political leaders to punish perpetrators of violence, although she expressed doubt it would happen, saying, “Here, the perpetrators of violence have often been rewarded.”
