Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa in a series of Tweet has requested local political leaders of Kashmir including Mufti to come out in support of the Sikh community. He also made a demand for an anti-forced religious conversion law be passed in Jammu & Kashmir citing the example of Uttar Pradesh.
This comes after two Sikh girls were reportedly abducted and converted to Islam in Kashmir. Of these, one girl who was married off to a Muslim boy is still missing.
Joining the ongoing protests in the valley, Sirsa said, “I am at Srinagar joining the protest with local Sikh community against forced Nikah and conversions of Sikh daughters who are forced to marry elderly of different religion. I urge Govt of India to take stern action against such kind of Nikah happening in the valley.”
I am at Srinagar joining the protest with local Sikh community against forced Nikah and conversions of Sikh daughters who are forced to marry elderly of different religion
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) June 27, 2021
I urge Govt of India to take stern action against such kind of Nikah happening in the valley@ANi @HMOIndia pic.twitter.com/BLu3QBT9ir
Manjinder Sirsa in his Tweet demanded the return of favour from Kashmiri leaders for extending support during the anti-CAA protests. “I request local leaders of Srinagar and Mullanas & Muftis to come in support of Sikh daughters. Sikhs were at the forefront ensuring Muslim daughters reach home safely during CAA protests but no Muslim leader has come to raise voice against forced conversions of Sikh girls,” he wrote.
I request local leaders of Srinagar and Mullanas & Muftis to come in support of Sikh daughters
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) June 27, 2021
Sikhs were at the forefront ensuring Muslim daughters reach home safely during CAA protests but no Muslim leader has come to raise voice against forced conversions of Sikh girls @ANI pic.twitter.com/QrYUjgqEWO
The then BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal had opposed the CAA which fast-tracked Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Sharing videos of protestors demanding anti-conversion law, 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.”
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@ANI pic.twitter.com/Tk6suVnYyu
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) June 27, 2021
Sirsa during a media interaction also expressed that the Sikh community had no idea that this is how their brotherhood would be paid back where their daughters are being abducted and forcefully married to elderly men of other religions.
“We will not tolerate forced Nikah and conversions of Sikh daughters living in Kashmir who are forced to marry elderly of different religion Sikhs living in J&K urge @AmitShah for a law that mandates permission of Parents in inter-religion marriages,” he said.
We will not tolerate forced Nikah and conversions of Sikh daughters living in Kashmir who are forced to marry elderly of different religion
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) June 27, 2021
Sikhs living in J&K urge @AmitShah for a law that mandates permission of Parents in inter-religion marriages. pic.twitter.com/COFwSL1dW7
Sirsa allegedly had mocked the same anti-conversion law when it was introduced by the Yogi Adityanath government while talking to the media during the ongoing farmer’s protest.
In January this year, Sirsa, while attending the ‘farmer’ protests against the central government farm laws, Sirsra while responding to a misleading and factually incorrect question regarding forced religious conversion, said, “How is your religion (Hinduism) so weak that they need help of law to save their religion?” Sirsa was speaking about the same anti-forced religious conversion law he now wants implemented.
At around 15 minutes into the video one can hear Sirsa say, “Having this kind of religion is a sin in itself. That means there are flaws in your religion. You must remove these flaws in your religion. The ones who are religious leaders have flaws, remove them.”
Forced conversion in J&K
On June 26, a case of forced conversion came to light from Jammu & Kashmir. As per reports, an 18-year-old Sikh Girl from Badgam district was lured and forcefully converted to Islam.
Another case is of a girl from Mehjoor Nagar in Srinagar who attended a function of her Muslim friend. As per Bali, she was married off to a boy who attended the function. While the girl was not a minor, she is still missing.
Sikh community launch protest
The Sikh community along with the support of Sikh leaders have launched a protest demanding strict action and new laws. We earlier reported how the custody of one girl was handed over to the man instead of her family who were given a written assurance by the police. The girl’s family was also stopped from entering the court.
Sardar Santpal Singh, President Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee-Budgam said, said, “The Police asked the family members of the girl to sit outside to avoid the crowd in the Court. However, all the relatives of the Muslim man were allowed in the Court. The judge recorded the statement of the girl in the absence of her family members and took note of the statements of the relatives of the Muslim man. No one from the family of the girl was called in the Court during the proceedings.”
Another Sikh man who was present at the scene said, “What kind of system is functioning in the Court that passes the judgement without hearing the girl’s family? Why was the judgement passed in a day? Why girl’s family was not allowed in the Court?”
Tejinder Singh Sodhi, Reporter CNN News 18, said, “Sikh community in Kashmir is treated as second class citizens, nothing has changed for the community in the past 70 years. Why not a single person from the majority community is standing with Sikhs right now when the same Sikhs have always stood to protect their daughters.”
The voices demanding anti-conversion laws are getting stronger.
