Conversion cases: girls' parents criticise Supreme Court's role

19 Apr, 2012

They made up their minds and they finally left the Supreme Court premises with their husbands following apex court's directives that they are the masters of their own fate. The three Hindu girls - Rinkle Kumari, Dr Lata and Asha Kumari - had earlier been given time by the Supreme Court to decide within 15 days without any influence whether they wanted to live with their husbands or parents.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Pervez ordered the police to provide adequate security to girls.
The bench also strictly warned that if anything happened to the girls for their decision to go with husbands, the police officials would be held responsible for negligence. The court maintained that the girls themselves were old enough to make their own decisions.
The parents of the girls, who were present in the court, said that although they had pinned high hopes on Supreme Court, it also resorted to discrimination by not allowing them to meet their daughters.
The Supreme Court asked the girls to leave after they recorded their statements with the registrar's office. He wished them good health, long life and happiness.
The mothers of the girls were restless to meet their daughters in and outside the apex court but they were left beating their heads as the decision of their daughters was final and nobody was able to intervene.
"Why Hindus are being treated so shabbily? Our young girls are being abducted. If Muslims love their daughters, so do we. If you want to expel the Hindus from this country, tell us straightaway, why our girls are being kidnapped?" they kept pleading.
The father of Asha Kumari alleged that the attitude of Supreme Court was discriminatory. According to him, the court did not allow him to meet his daughter. But those who forcibly kidnapped and converted our daughters, were free to meet them, he alleged.
In reaction to the decision of Supreme Court, representatives of Hindu community along with the parents of the girls staged a protest sit-in on the Constitution Avenue in front of Supreme Court. They accused a member National Assembly of ruling PPP from Ghotki Mian Mithu of abducting their daughters and their forcible conversion.
When contacted Mian Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu hailed apex court's decision.
Mian Mithu plainly said that he would continue supporting the newly converted Hindu girls. "I'll give them home to live in if they need, provide them jobs and extend all out support because this is what my religion says and those who hold me responsible for this are 'my foot'," he maintained.

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