Forced conversion in Srinagar and politics on the boil

Ground Report | SRINAGAR: Forced conversion in Srinagar; After the forcible nikah (marriage) of Sikh girls in Srinagar with elderly men the politics of Srinagar Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader alleged on Tuesday that four Sikh women were forcibly married and converted to Islam in Kashmir recently and demanded that they be returned to their families as well as a law against forced conversions.

Members of the Sikh community took out marches on roads and highways across Jammu and Kashmir to protest against the alleged "abduction and forcible conversion". Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said they have taken up the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha.

Anjuman Sharie Shian President Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safavi strongly denounced the disturbing reports of forcible conversions that have surfaced in the Media of two Sikh girls in Srinagar. While expressing solidarity with the Sikh community whose sentiments are hurt by this shameful Act , Aga Hassan Said respecting Sikh communities honour is our primary duty and no Kashmiri Muslim will forget this duty .

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Aga Hassan further said that said the forced conversion of religion is violation of the Islamic teachings.

How can we take it into our own hands to forcefully convert someone to Islam - either by marrying (non-Muslim) women (...) or on gunpoint or to (by threatening to) kill someone because of their religion?” he asked. “All these things are un-Islamic. If God hadn’t given his messengers the power to impose their beliefs on someone, who are we (to do so)?” he asked, explaining that the messengers’ duty was only to spread the word of God.

Viral Video

However, a video allegedly of one of them has surfaced. In the video, the woman says that she changed her religion of her own without any pressure. In the viral video, the woman is talking about misrepresenting the whole matter. The woman said in the video that she is 29 years old and has converted her religion in the year 2012 itself. 

She claims that she married one of his batchmates in 2014, two years after her conversion. The woman says that religion and minorities should not be brought in the middle in this whole matter and she knows her rights from the Supreme Court.

The pressure was made to give a statement against the husband

On the other hand, the people of the Sikh community allege that two girls were kidnapped and then forcibly converted. After which both were married. The members of the Sikh community alleged that the girls who were forcibly married were much older in age and one of them was already married.

The woman also reportedly said in her video that the police caught her and handed her over to her family. While she kept telling the police that she was living with the husband of her own will. The woman further said that she also showed the papers to the police, but to no avail. When the police handed him over to his family, he was taken to Punjab. The woman alleges that many organizations in Punjab pressured her to make statements against her husband. (Forced conversion in Srinagar)

Sikh brethren are part and parcel of Kashmiri society

 Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said that Sikh brethren are part and parcel of Kashmiri society and that there is no place for “forcible conversion in Islam” and the alleged forcible conversion of Sikh girl to other religion can never be considered as a conversion in Islamic jurisprudence.

Meanwhile, Muslim organizations in Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the alleged forced conversion of women. According to The Hindu's report, Jammu and Kashmir veteran Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said that the people of the Sikh community have always been a part of the society of Kashmir and there is no place for forced conversion to Islam. Forced conversion of Sikh girls to Islam at gunpoint can never be accepted. Naseer also talked about conducting a fair investigation in this matter.

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On the other hand, some members of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema also went to the homes of Sikh girls. According to the report of The Hindu, the spokesperson of this organization said that he has taken full cognizance of this whole matter and at the same time has spoken to stand firmly with the Sikh community. It was also said on behalf of the spokesperson that Islam does not believe in coercion. (Forced conversion in Srinagar)

Trying to divide the people of Jammu and Kashmir!

Reactions of political parties are also coming on this incident. Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted, "Shocked by the news of the kidnapping of a Sikh daughter and forced marriage with a man much older than her. 

At the same time, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti wrote in a tweet that I am worried to hear about the incident related to two Sikh girls in Kashmir. Muslims and Sikhs live in peace and harmony in Jammu and Kashmir. Hopefully, the investigating agencies will get to the bottom of this matter soon.

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