Prime Minister urged to intervene over investigators 'vulgar' remarks about nun

Posted : August 04 2009

NEW DELHI, India : A Left-wing member of Parliament, Brinda Karat, has demanded the Prime Minister's Office take action against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over its "vulgar" description of a virginity test on a Catholic nun.

Eight New Delhi-based women's groups including the Indian Catholic bishops' women's commission have called for a sit-in demonstration on July 29 to protest against virginity tests on women.

Karat says the "objectionable" description of the test on Sister Sephy "invites criminal action" under laws dealing with atrocities against women and obscenity.

Sister Sephy and her Kottayam archdiocese have threatened to sue CBI over the language used in the charge sheet, including descriptions of the nun's breasts and other intimate details the CBI investigators said were evidence that she was a "woman of loose morals."

The CBI has been investigating the alleged murder of another nun, Sister Abhaya, 17 years ago in Kerala, a southern Indian state. On July 17 it charged Sister Sephy and two priests, Fathers Thomas Kottoor and Jose Poothrukayil, with murder, destroying evidence and other offences related to the case.

Sister Abhaya's body was found in the well at her Pius X Convent in Kottayam on March 27, 1992. She and Sister Sephy lived in the convent, which belongs to the Sisters of St. Joseph, a congregation founded in India.

The CBI conducted a virginity test on Sister Sephy to investigate her claim that she was a virgin.

The protesting women's groups go further than Karat and question whether even holding such tests is warranted.

In a July 27 media release, they called the tests "shameful," insulting to women and "a throwback to the primitive age."

The women found various CBI references to Sister Sephy "degrading" and "outrageous," and demanded action against offending officials.

According to Sister Lilly Francis, secretary of the Church women's commission, the CBI remarks violated Sister Sephy's fundamental rights. "The CBI has no right to use such abusive language against a woman, and a nun at that," she said.

She cited the controversy as another example of harassment of religious minority groups. "The Church is going through a difficult situation," the nun observed.

John Dayal, secretary general of the ecumenical All India Christian Council, described the CBI remarks as a matter of great shame for India. "It was non-police language, simply gutter language," he added.

Shah Rukh’s epic superhero motion picture called Ra.One is being directed by Anubhav Sinha. However KJO, SRK’s bosom buddy, seems to have all the creative control.

Prime Minister urged to intervene over investigators 'vulgar' remarks about nun

News in this section

Most Popular

Top Stories

‘Love, Sex...’ makers to team up again

Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Ra.One

Business

National