DNA Edit: Selective outrage – Why such limited support for the Kerala nun?

The backlash from Kerala civil society finally forced the state police to take some action in the alleged rape case involving a nun and a bishop. The alleged victim has gained sympathy from all quarters, including a conservative section of the Catholic Church. In a show of solidarity, a group of nuns attached to a Catholic convent near Kottayam, to which the alleged victim also belonged, has begun an indefinite fast. The case against the accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal was lodged in June, which makes the police’s foot-dragging even more galling. At a time when laws against rape and other forms of sexual violence have become stricter and the police have been asked to treat such complaints with urgency and seriousness, the nun’s predicament in a progressive state like Kerala is an eye-opener. 

It shows how the forces of patriarchy can resort to devious means to colour perceptions about the alleged victim. A Kerala MLA, PC George, had called her a prostitute. The Missionaries of Jesus  Congregation, backing the bishop, has called the rape allegation a conspiracy to defame the Church and the bishop. The political establishment had adopted a wait and watch policy owing to the bitter divisions within the Church. Its inaction was inspired by vote-bank politics. One has to keep in mind that only a wafer-thin margin of votes separates the ruling LDF from the Opposition UDF. Though the Christians, comprising 19 per cent of the state’s population, do not vote en bloc, political parties are extremely wary of ‘jumping the gun’, lest religious sentiments are hurt. Taking a cue from the political masters, the police sat back, waiting for the collective clamour for justice to intensify. 

Once it reached a crescendo, politicians joined the chorus and the police asked the bishop to appear for formal questioning on September 19. The police had earlier told the Kerala High Court that its preliminary  investigations had revealed that the bishop had raped the nun on multiple occasions. Though the HC declined to order the arrest of the  bishop on Thursday, it did not castigate the police for failing to act promptly in this case. Since both parties are claiming to be victims and the very fact that the Catholic Church is yet to take a resolute stand, urging the police to undertake an impartial probe, the quest for justice will get arduous. Recall that in her desperation for justice, the nun had even urged the Pope to take action against the bishop, only to  realise that help was not forthcoming. 

While the law should take its course, one must realise that in this case, the nun had to face public  humiliation for bringing her alleged suffering to light. All this while civil society in Delhi and Mumbai, and Bollywood star-activists were  conspicuous by their deafening silence. Facebook and Twitter, which are the most fertile ground for outrage, also didn’t  see much support for the nun. One is tempted to ask if outrage  is reserved only for a certain community, and that the nun didn’t quite fit the bill for a nationwide hue and cry.