Ambala: Following two cases of alleged abduction and forcible conversion of Sikh girls in Srinagar on Saturday, the Akal Takht and leaders of the Sikh community on Sunday demanded implementation of an anti-conversion law in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), similar to the ones implemented in states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP).
Sources said a 62-year-old man, who was already married, allegedly performed ‘nikah’ (marriage) with a Sikh girl, 18, after abducting her at gunpoint from Rainawari area of Srinagar.
Girl’s parents claimed she was mentally unsound.
The family of the girl claimed that their daughter had gone missing on Monday and the J&K police had assured them that the girl would returned within 36 hours.
On Saturday, the girl was brought to the Srinagar high court along with the family of the old man.
By the evening, it was learnt that the court declared the marriage valid and handed the custody of girl over to the family of old man.
The parents of the Sikh girl alleged that they were not allowed to enter the court room and their voice was not heard.
The Sikh community in Srinagar on Saturday night held a strong protest outside the judicial court complex in Srinagar, demanding custody of the girl.
Finally, the parents were reportedly allowed to meet the girl at 10.30 pm.
Sources in Kashmir said the second Sikh girl belonged to Mehjoor Nagar of Srinagar, who allegedly went missing after attending a function of her Muslim friend.
Sources claimed that the girl was forcibly married to a boy attending the same function.
Some Sikh leaders from Kashmir reported the matter to Sikh bodies, including Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).
On Sunday morning, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa led a Sikh delegation to Kashmir and held a gathering with the Sikh community in Kashmir.
Accompanied by about 200 Sikhs, Sirsa led a protest through the roads of Srinagar, while demanding action against the culprits who allegedly got the young girl married to the elderly man.
Demanding anti-conversion law from Government of India, Sirsa tweeted, “The local Sikh community of Jammu and Kashmir urges @AmitShah Ji to get a strong law implemented in Jammu & Kashmir (Just like Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh) mandating permission of parents in inter-religion marriages to stop these forced ‘nikahs’ of Sikh minority girls.” SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted, “Shocked to learn that our Sikh daughter was kidnapped & forcibly married to an elderly man of a different community in Srinagar.” Later in the day, the Sikh delegation along with representatives of local Singh Sabhas led by Sirsa held a meeting with J&K Lt Gov Manoj Sinha.
Talking to TOI, Sirsa said, “In the meeting, Lt Gov Manoj Sinha assured the community that the girls will be handed back to the family.
The officials have assured constituting a minority commission.
The Lt Gov also said that he will not make a false commitment that the laws adopted in UP and MP will be implemented in J&K, but will implement a law that stops the forcible conversion.” Officiating jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh also wrote a letter to Lt Gov Sinha, demanding an anti-conversion law in J&K to stop forcible conversion of the Sikh girls.
In his letter, Giani Harpreet Singh said, “I would like to apprise you about the repeated incidents of kidnapping of Sikh girls in Jammu and Kashmir and their forceful religion conversion and marrying them with Muslim men.
Recently, a Sikh girl has been kidnapped on gunpoint and forcefully converted into Muslim religion and married to an old man.
In the last month, 4 Sikhs have been kidnapped and forcefully converted.
There is a strong outrage among Sikh Community worldwide on such repeated incidents.”