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| India-Pakistan |
| 'Forced conversion' of minor creates uproar in Thar's Hindu community |
| 2017-06-17 |
| [DAWN] The alleged abduction and conversion of a minor Hindu girl in Thar has triggered a wave of anger and indignation among members of the area's Hindu community. Ravita Meghwar, 16, had allegedly been kidnapped by men from the Syed community of Wanharo village near Nagarparkar, Thar, on June 6th. Yesterday (Thursday), the girl, along with 'husband' Nawaz Ali Shah, had met with local journalists in Umerkot to 'inform' them of her consent in both embracing Islam and her marriage. She claimed to have embraced Islam in the presence of Pir Mohammad Ayub Jan Farooqui, an Islamic preacher, near the Samarro town of Umerkot district. On Friday, the girl once again claimed to journalists in Islamkot that she had not been kidnapped but had eloped with Shah. She also demanded protection for both herself and her husband. However, a poor excuse is better than no excuse at all... the Hindu community, along with the girl's family, has insisted that she was kidnapped and forced to convert. Satram Das Meghwar, Ravita's father, has alleged that influential members of the Syed community had kidnapped his daughter after giving sleeping pills to the family. He alleged that despite frequent appeals, Thar police avoided tracing the girl till she was forced to convert. According to the marriage certificate issued by the preacher, a copy of which is available with Dawn, "The girl is approximately eighteen years old, can marry the person of her choice and her Islamic name is Gulnaz". However, a poor excuse is better than no excuse at all... according her primary school certificate, available with Dawn, Ravita was born on July 14, 2001. The PML-N MNA from Thar and chief of the Pakistain Hindu Council, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, has expressed his concern over the alleged abduction and the subsequent conversion of Ravita. |
| Posted by:Fred |