Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir’s 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 reports of forcible conversion of Sikh girl to other religion on a gun-point can never be considered as a conversion in Islamic jurisprudence.
Mufti Nasir said that disturbing reports are coming from Srinagar that two Sikh girls have been allegedly abducted and forcibility converted to other religion on a gun-point and one of them reportedly married to a man from another religion.
“First of all, there is no place for conversion by force in Islam. Conversion to Islam has to be by one’s conviction and choice without any force or compulsion,” Mufti Nasir said, adding that Sikhs are part and parcel of Kashmiri community and no one will be allowed to disrespect their faith in the Valley.
“I urge the Sikh community members and leaders that lets go for a medical examination of the abducted girls to find out the truth. Let there be impartial enquiry into the matter,” he said.
He said Kashmir is known for maintaining communal harmony for years together and Sikhs are important part of Kashmir’s age-old culture, ethos and communal brotherhood. “No one will be allowed to play with the faith of Sikh brethren. There should be a strict action against wrong doers,” he said.
Meanwhile, president of All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Jagmohan Singh Raina cautioned the people of the “Miscreants” who are disturbing the communal harmony over the forced “interfaith Marriage” of a Sikh girl.
Sikh leader Jagmohan Raina while talking to CNS and said, “The incident of the forced marriage of a Sikh girl with a Muslim boy was pre-planned and backed by some powerful people, who even didn’t allow her parents to go inside the court, where the girl was manipulated and forced to sign marriage papers”.
He confirmed that only after the protests on Sunday, the administration handed over the girl to her family.
Raina added that some people are disturbing the communal harmony and claimed that they are provoking people to foment trouble and blaze the peaceful environment of the valley to leave a wrong impression about Kashmir throughout the world.
Raina while cautioning the people of such elements said, “Since ages we are living together with brotherhood and this age-old bond cannot be broken with such conspiracies”.
He demanded that the accused should be arrested as soon as possible and tried in the court of law for “abduction and forcible marriage”
At the same time, he requested people to maintain communal harmony as isolated incidents should not bring two communities at loggerheads with each other.
He also questioned the silence of the Kashmiri leaders and said that their silence is unfortunate as it leaves a wrong impression on people.
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