On the 13th day of the protest demanding the arrest of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar Diocese, Sister Anupama, one of the five nuns who started the protest, gave an emotional speech to those gathered at the Vanchi square, near the Kochi High Court in Ernakulam. The interrogation of Bishop Franco by the Kerala Police continued on the third day after he was summoned to Thrippunithura Crime Branch Police Station for questioning in this case on Wednesday.

Even as the crowd was eagerly awaiting the official confirmation of the Bishop’s arrest, Sister Anupama addressed the media and those gathered at the protest site. “We are not fighting against Franco, the person, or the church. We are fighting against the crime committed by Bishop Franco,” she said.

An emotional Sr Anupama said, “We abandoned our families at the age of 15 to serve society through the church. They tried trapping the sisters who came forward to support the nuns protesting here. It's time that the church drops its silence, at least at this moment, to support the nuns.”

She reiterated, “We want justice for the sister. If the arrest is not declared today, we will continue our protest tomorrow.”

Sr Anupama also mentioned how the nuns began their protest even against the advice of their families and appreciated everyone who had come to support the nuns’ protest. “On behalf of ourselves and our families, we thank everyone who has come out to support us,” she said with a smile.  

Bishop Franco was accused of raping a nun 13 times between 2014 and 2016. After their complaints were ignored by the Church, five nuns began a protest demanding his arrest, and soon received a phenomenal support from the public, students, the media and other groups across Kerala.