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{{Violence against Christians in India}}
The '''Jhabua nuns rape case''' refers to the [[gang rape]] of four [[nuns]] in the [[Jhabua district]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]] in India on September 23, 1998 by tribal men.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6a84b4.html|title=Refworld {{!}} Politics by Other Means: Attacks Against Christians in India|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|website=Refworld|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> Around 18-26 men barged their way into the Ashram where the nuns lived and ransacked the entire ashram and some of the men gang raped the nuns.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://m.rediff.com/news/1998/sep/28jhab.htm|title=Rediff On The NeT: Syed Firdaus Ashraf reports from the MP village where three nuns were raped last week|website=m.rediff.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mahmood, Tahir, 1941-|title=Minorities Commission : minor role in major affairs|date=2001|publisher=Pharos Media & Pub|isbn=81-7221-018-3|edition=1st|location=New Delhi|pages=119|oclc=48508180}}</ref>

== Incident ==
The nuns came from [[Tamil Nadu]] came to the Nawapura village in the predominantly tribal, Jhabua District at October 11, 1997 to set up a Medical Clinic at the Preetisharan Ashram. Three of them were aged between 25-30 and the fourth one was aged over thirty. They soon made the village their home.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/crime/article/madhya-pradesh-nuns-rape-case-after-21-years-gang-rape-accused-arrested-by-police/377339|title=Madhya Pradesh nuns' rape case: After 21 years, gang-rape accused arrested by police|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> The four nuns lived alone in the ashram which was looked after by two watchmen. The in-charge of the ashram was a priest, who is also their nearest neighbor, lived 500 meters away. The area also lacked street lights and its becomes entirely dark after evening.<ref name=":0" />

At night, about 2 a.m on 23 September, a group of men came to the ashram and requested the nuns to come with them claiming that a some children at a nearby village were ill. The nuns told them to call the watchmen, who were supposed to guard the ashram were asleep at the residence of the priest in-charge as the priest went to the town of [[Dahod]] for some work. The men started to force their way in by trying to break through the fold-able metal grill outside the main door. Realizing their intentions, the nuns blew whistles to get the attention of the watchmen who were asleep half a kilometer away. The men managed to break through the metal grill, the main door and to the one of the rooms the nuns locked themselves in.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Catholics protest against gang-rape of nuns|date=September 24, 1998|work=The Statesman}}</ref> The men vandalized and ransacked the entire premises, gold and silver ornaments including approximately 20,000 rupees cash was reportedly stolen.<ref name=":0" />

When the attackers started to leave, some men stayed behind and told the others that they would join them later and later and then dragged the nuns outside the ashram and took turns to rape them. According to the police, the fourth nun was not raped because she appeared older and got beaten up for trying to stop the rape.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /> While the runs stated that all four of them were raped.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/rape-of-the-innocents/206323|title=Rape Of The Innocents {{!}} Outlook India Magazine|website=www.outlookindia.com|access-date=2020-04-06}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
The [[Chief Minister Of Madhya Pradesh|Chief minister of Madhya Pradesh]], [[Digvijaya Singh|Digvijay Singh]] visited the village and hinted that the attack was a plot by [[Hindutva]] groups against the Christians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thelogicalindian.com/news/madhya-pradesh-jhabua-nun-rape/|title=MP: After 21 Yrs Of Jhabua Nuns Gang-Rape Case, Police Arrest Absconding Accused|last=Indian|first=The Logical|date=2019-03-06|website=thelogicalindian.com|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> He also related the incident with the chasing away of the Muslims in Godhra, Gujarat by the militant organization [[Vishva Hindu Parishad|Vishwa Hindu Parishad]].<ref name=":0" /> A [[Jhabua]] court issued a warrant against [[Digvijay Singh (politician)|Digvijay Singh]] then state chief minister and 14 others for alleged remarks on the 1998 Jhabua nuns rape case accusing Hindutva organisations of being involved in the incident, following a civil defamation suit filed by a local lawyer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/sep/28jhab.htm|title=I never thought something like this could happen in our village. The nuns were so good to us|publisher=Rediff}}</ref> A [[Bhopal]] court cancelled the warrant after Digvijay appeared and furnished a surety bond for Rs. 5,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2003/12/27/stories/2003122711491300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040624035021/http://www.hindu.com/2003/12/27/stories/2003122711491300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 June 2004|title=Warrant against Digvijay cancelled|location=Chennai, India|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=27 December 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980930/27350804.html|title=Two held in MP nuns rape case|publisher=The Indian Express}}</ref>

[[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) leader [[Uma Bharathi]] claimed that 12 of those who raped the Christian nuns were themselves tribal Christians, later [[L. K. Advani]] made the same statement in the Parliament.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981216/35050064.html Don't give communal colour to atrocities, warn ministers] Indian Express - 16 December 1998</ref> However, five days after the incident, the local [[Superintendent of police (India)|Superintendent of police]](SP) arrested 15 men and the nuns identified all of them. The SP reported that none of the arrested tribals were Christian.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|title=The politics behind anti Christian violence : a compilation of investigation committee reports into acts of violence against the Christian minorities|date=2006|publisher=Media House|others=Puniyani, Ram.|isbn=81-7495-237-3|location=Delhi|pages=486|oclc=182969294}}</ref> It is also reported that only 6 families in the two villages are Christians.<ref name=":0" />

== Investigations ==
The most widely spoken theory among the tribals is that a tribal man named Samna had problem with the nuns, paid two local gangs for the assault on the mission. Locals claimed that the man had fallen in love with one of the nuns and was upset when she repulsed him.<ref name=":4" />

The crime reportedly obtained communal and political color after the former BJP [[Member of parliament|Member of the Parliament]] and VHP leader, [[Baikunth Lal Sharma|Baikunt Lal Sharma]] justified the gang-rape as the result of "the anger of patriotic, angry Hindus".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/1998/oct/12jhab.htm|title=Rediff On The NeT: NCW demands judicial inquiry into nuns' rape|website=www.rediff.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Bauman|first=Chad M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DoFxBgAAQBAJ|title=Pentecostals, Proselytization, and Anti-Christian Violence in Contemporary India|date=2015-02-02|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-026631-8|pages=170|language=en}}</ref>

A fact-finding team of the [[National Commission for Women]] (NCW) visited the district and said that the episode is not just a case of rape, robbery and molestation, but points to a larger conspiracy. The NCW pointed out that the tribals were never known to rape women. They came across a report of a man owing the nuns some money and getting angry when asked to pay. The NCW also reported that the villagers depended on the nuns for informal education and medical help because of the lack of government services in the area.<ref name=":3" />

Congress MP, [[Kantilal Bhuria|KantiLal Bhuriya]] accused the BJP for aiding communal elements infiltrating Jhabua from Gujarat and Maharashtra.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/rape-of-the-innocents/206323|title=Rape Of The Innocents {{!}} Outlook India Magazine|website=outlookindia.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>

The President of the Madhya Pradesh Christians Association, Indra Iyengar said that another catholic mission was attacked by vandals just miles away from the Nawapura village and Bajrang Dal members attacked another mission and uprooted it's fence. She also said that "3 attacks within a span of 5 days shows that someone has a hidden agenda."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/19981012-political-parties-politicise-attacks-on-christian-community-in-madhya-pradesh-827175-1998-10-12|title=Political parties politicise attacks on Christian community in Madhya Pradesh|last1=October 12|first1=N. K. Singh|last2=October 12|first2=1998 ISSUE DATE|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05|last3=April 5|first3=1998UPDATED|last4=Ist|first4=2013 13:04}}</ref>

== Convictions ==
In April 2001, Seventeen men were convicted of the crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment by the district and sessions court. The men sentenced were Daru Mansingh, Khemraj, Pidiya, Pappu, Kenu, Chatra, Badra, Ruma, Kesaria, Kamji, Bhurji, Daru Dhanna, Ramesh, Chamna and Bhitra.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/28rape.htm|title=rediff.com: Gang rape of nuns in MP|website=www.rediff.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/jhabua-gangrape-convict-who-jumped-parole-held-after-11-yrs-910510-2017-04-18|title=Jhabua gangrape: Convict who jumped parole held after 11 yrs|last1=April 18|first1=Press Trust of India|last2=April 18|first2=2017UPDATED|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05|last3=Ist|first3=2017 19:10}}</ref>

In April 2017, the police re-arrested Pidia Singaria, after he escaped his [[parole]] in 2006 and escaped from police ever since.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/it-took-11-years-man-who-raped-nun-finally-arrested-jhabua|title=It took 11 Years, But Man who Raped Nun Finally Arrested: Jhabua|date=2017-04-21|website=SabrangIndia|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=IANS|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/nun-rape-case-convict-re-arrested-after-11-years-in-mp-117041801372_1.html|title=Nun rape case convict re-arrested after 11 years in MP|date=2017-04-18|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>

In March 2019, an escaped accused Kalu Limji was arrested by the police after 21 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/National/2019/03/05213245/1109283/21-years-after-Jhabua-nuns-gangrape-accused-arrested.vpf|title=21 years after Jhabua nuns' gang-rape, accused arrested|date=2019-03-05|website=dtNext.in|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> The Police reported that, of the 26 accused, 24 were arrested immediately after the incident and 13 were acquitted, while 9 were sentenced to life imprisonment by a local court.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/21-years-after-jhabua-nuns-gang-rape-accused-arrested-police-2003248|title=21 Years After Jhabua Nuns' Gang-Rape, Accused Arrested: Police|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>

== Reactions ==
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP) accused the nuns of Conversion and the organisation's secretary B. L. Sharma claimed that the incident reflected the "anger of patriotic Hindu youth against the anti‑national forces".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hindu militants justify attacks on nuns|date=September 29, 1998|work=Agence France-Presse}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xFw6aBjJOKsC|title=Dalits and Human Rights: Dalits: the broken future|date=2005|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8205-274-1|pages=233|language=en}}</ref>

The spokesperson for the Bhartiya Janata Party and the editor of ''BJP Today,'' Kanchan Gupta said, "It's only a rape."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/indiachr/christians8-05.htm|title=V. ATTACKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY|website=www.hrw.org|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>

Head of the organization [[Bajrang Dal]], deputy head of the VHP and a former BJP member of parliament, [[Baikunth Lal Sharma|Baikunt Lal Sharma]] said that the nuns "were asking for it."<ref name=":2" />

Rajya Sabha MP [[Mabel Rebello]] said it is not a minority issue and only a women's issue.<ref name=":5" />

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Rape in India}}

[[Category:Rape in India]]
[[Category:History of Madhya Pradesh (1947–present)]]
[[Category:Crime in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:1998 crimes in India]]
[[Category:Violence against Christians in India]]
[[Category:Violence against women in India]]

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Jhabua nuns rape case - Revision history

->GreenC bot at 20:30, 21 April 2021