Retired Justice Kemal Pasha lashed out at the police and the government for not taking action against the Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of rape of a nun. He was visiting the venue of a protest taken out by five nuns of the Missionaries of Jesus, near the Kerala High Court, seeking justice for their colleague, the rape survivor.
“I saw an announcement made by the DGP that they have reached the final stage of the investigation. Isn’t he ashamed to say this? It is a rape case. The accused should be presented in court. Let the prosecution present proof. But that’s not happening. What you see is a give and take policy between the police and the accused. They think that nuns are not capable of reacting,” Kemal Pasha said.
He went on to express solidarity with the nun, appreciating her for coming forward and reacting. “Many such sisters are suffering in our society. This poor sister being called a victim in this case is a guide to all of them. We should consider her tears as drops of blood falling on the society. Her cry is the cry of all women. We should step forward and protect them. That should be the responsibility of men. I am not used to political speeches. But I have not seen such obscenity in any other investigation,” he said.
Kemal Pasha said that the only person left for ‘them’ to question is the Pope now. “They would use that as the last excuse to delay the process. That they want to consult the Pope. But they wouldn’t be able to get an audience with him. But they should realise that the people are seeing all this. The government should realise it. All political parties should speak against this injustice. Such dirty people do not have politics or caste or religion. This is not an allegation against the Church. The Church and the bishop are not the same. Any other individual in his place would have been arrested. He should be too, and presented before the court. Let him appeal for bail then. Our legal system should not stoop so low. I am expressing my solidarity with the hurt sister and let this be a fight for women’s survival. Let the society know their value and their power to react.”