Sindh : Pak Hindus protest against abduction, forced religious conversion of minor girls

Pakistan, home to at least two million Hindus, is known for its extreme religious ideologies. There have been many reports about minor girls, especially from Pakistan’s Sindh province that has the maximum Hindu population, being kidnapped, threatened and forcefully converted to Islam.

Pakistani Hindu activists staged a protest this morning against the rise in abduction and forced religious conversion of minor girls in the province, and slammed the Pakistan People’s Party — considered a secular voice that also stands for the poor — asking it to bring the anti-conversion bill that was passed in the Sindh Assembly last year.

The Times of India quoted Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council, as saying, “Sindh is known as land of peace and harmony but unfortunately, peace-loving patriotic Hindu community is being forced to migrate from its beloved Pakistan.”

The Hindu activists could be seen holding a banner that has Ravita Meghwar‘s photo and “No to force conversion of Hindu girls; Release Ravita Meghwar” written on it.

WHO IS RAVITA MEGHWAR ?

Ravita Meghwar, a 16-year-old girl, was abducted from the Syed community of Sindh province’s Wanharo village on June 6. On June 16, Meghwar and her ‘husband’ Nawaz Ali Shah met journalists to inform them that both the marriage and the conversion to Islam was at her will. Saying she eloped with Shah, Meghwar demanded protection for her husband and herself.

Meghwar’s family insists that she was abducted and converted to Islam by force. Ravita Meghwar’s father Satram Das Meghwar accused some ‘influential’ members of the Syed community of giving sleeping pills to the family and abducting his daughter.

Ravita Meghwar’s primary school certificate says she is just 16 years old, but the marriage certificate issued by an Islamic preacher in the Samarro town of Umerkot district says she is 18 years old, reported Tribune India. “The girl is eighteen years old, can marry the person of her choice and her Islamic name is Gulnar,” said the marriage certificate.

Meghwar’s father slammed the Thar police for inaction and accused them being complicit. “A Hindu girl below 18 years of age cannot be converted according to the Hindu Marriage Act,” said Dr Vankwani.

ANTI-CONVERSION BILL

The anti-conversion bill was unanimously passed in the Sindh Assembly. The bill criminalised forced religious conversions and guaranteed protection of minorities in Pakistan.

As per the bill, those who attempt forced conversion could get up to seven years imprisonment and those who facilitate the conversion could get up to five years in jail. Another clause in the bill said that adults considering converting to Islam must be provided a safe house to live for 21 days, during which they can introspect and ensure they are not doing it at will.

In December, shortly after the bill was passed, religious hardliners warned the Sindh government of agitation, describing the anti-conversion bill as an “anti-Islam bill”. A multi-party conference was held and by a consensus resolution, the parties called pushed the government to repeal the bill with immediate effect.

“The bill binds youngsters in Sindh to keep their ancestral religion till the age of 18 years, which is in open defiance of Islam. It also binds newly Muslims not to disclose their Islam till 21 days and to spend this period at a safe house being run by the government where they will be briefed about other religions,” The Dawn quoted.

In January 2017, the Sindh governor returned the anti-conversion bill, under pressure from Islamic hardliners. A News International report said that the Sindh chief minister told the governor that the government wanted to make certain changes in the language of the bill.

Source : India today