Chaitra Krushna Panchami, Kaliyug Varsha 5112
By Radhashyam Brahmachari
Status of non-Muslims in an Islamic State
It is well known that Hindus are treated as third grade citizens, or not citizens at aii, in Islamic countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. The reader may have an idea regarding how Hindus (or other non-Muslims) are treated in an Islamic state from a conversation between Sultan Alauddin Khilji and a qazi called Mughisuddin, narrated by Muslim chronicler Ziauddin Barni in Tarikh-i-Firozshahi. One day Qazi Mughisuddin visited the court of Sultan Alauddin Khilji and his court chronicler Ziauddin Barni writes:
“The Sultan asked the qazi, ‘How are Hindus designated in the (Islamic) law, as payers of tribute (Kharaj-gauzar) or giver of tribute (Kharaj-dih)?’ The qazi replied, ‘They are called payers of tribute and when the revenue officer demands silver from them, they should, without question and with all humility and respect, tender gold. If the officer throws dirt into their mouths, they must without reluctance open their mouths wide to receive it. By doing so, they show their respect for the officer. The due subordination of the Zimmi (tribute payer) is exhibited in this humble payment and by this throwing of dirt in their mouths. The glorification of Islam is a duty. …Allah holds them in contempt, for He says, ‘Keep them in subjection’. To keep the Hindus in abasement is especially a religious duty because they are the most inveterate enemies of the Prophet and because the Prophet has commanded us to slay them, plunder them and make them captive, saying, ‘Convert them to Islam or kill them, enslave them and spoil their wealth and property. No doctor but the great doctor (Hanifa), to whose school we belong, has asserted to the imposition of the jezya (poll tax) on Hindus. Doctors of other schools allow no other alternative but ‘death or Islam’.” (H. M. Elliot & J. Dowson, HISTORY OF INDIA: As Told by It’s Own Historians, III:184).
One should notice that, though the above incident took place quite a long time ago. By now many things have changed, but not the Islamic psyche. So, the attitude of Muslims towards Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and other non-Muslims in the Islamic Pakistan and Bangladesh remained unaltered even today.
As a result of the said Islamic attitude, bloody religious persecution is continuing against Hindus and other non-Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where Hindus are being converted to Islam by force, Hindu children are designated as Malauns or kafir-kutta (infidel dogs) and coerced to perform namaz and roja (i.e. Ramadan fasting). Hindu employees are severely beaten up or killed within the factory premises and Hindu farmers and labours are forced to do their jobs as bonded labours, with very paltry payment. In Pakistan, Hindu children are denied admission in schools; provocations and hatred against Hindus are inserted in school text books. The Talibans in Afghanistan imposed jejiya or poll-tax on Hindus and Sikhs. Above all, the atrocity on Hindu women is really gruesome and pathetic.
Abduction of Hindu girls and women, and molesting and raping them, has become a regular occurrence in Bangladesh and Pakistan. In many cases, young and charming Hindu girls are married to Muslims after their abduction and forcible conversion to Islam. It is also important to note that, such atrocities against Hindu women are now even being regularly perpetrated in the Muslim-majority districts and in Muslim-dominated pockets of West Bengal and other states in India. A few examples of such offences against Hindu women are narrated below.
In West Bengal, India
A Minor Hindu Girl Seduced, Kidnapped, Converted and Married to a Muslim
Shubhendu Ray, a resident of Bakultala area of Bahrampur in the district of Murshidabad, West Bengal, is a businessman and local leader of a political party. His daughter Anita is a 15-year-old girl. Shahidul, a local Muslim boy, seduced Anita and abducted her on 14th October this year. Later on, she was forcibly converted to Islam and on the next day Shahidul married her. On 20 October, Shubhendu Ray, with the help of the police, went to Shahidul’s house and recovered his daughter Anita. A case was lodged against Shahidul. He has been absconding since.
Meanwhile, Shahidul filed an anticipatory bail petition to the court at Barhamour but the petition was rejected. Then Shahidul moved his petition to the Calcutta High Court and a division bench, comprising of Justice Pinaki Ghosh and Justice Shailendra Prasad Talukdar (both Hindus), granted the anticipatory bail to Shahidul, on 16 December. While delivering their verdict, the Judges said that, though marriage of a girl below 18 is unlawful according to Hindu Marriage Act, it is not applicable in the present case. Since, Anita was converted to Islam prior to her marriage, the case falls under the purview of the Muslim Marriage Act, which permits one to marry a 15 tear-old girl. Hence, Shahidul has done no offence.
The question therefore arises: Is conversion of a minor girl is valid in law? If not, then the conversion of minor girl Anita stands null and void in the court of law. So treating her marriage according to Muslim Marriage Act does not arise. Furthermore, eloping with a minor girl without the consent of her parents is a clear case of kidnapping, which is a criminal offence. How the honourable judges could have overlooked this crime on the part of Shahidul before granting him the said anticipatory bail? Such carelessness and callousness of the honourable High Court judges is unpardonable.
Hindu Girl Kidnapped by Muslim Boys
On February 9, 2010, a minor Hindu named Shampa Mandal, aged 13, was kidnapped by some Muslim boys from the Jagatpur Refugee Market in east Kolkata. Bijay Mandal, the girl’s father, contacted the local activists of Hindu Samhati (an organization founded for protecting Hindu interests and the honour of the Hindu women) on the same day and they, after being briefed by Bijay Mandal, went to the Baguihati police station, accompanied by Bijay Mandal, and lodged a FIR (No 71/10, dt. 09.02.2010). The police then started a case under the article 363 and 366 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the main suspect Mohammad Bhulo Mandal, a resident of the village Shutia, near Barasat in the district of North 24-Parganas. (Courtesy, Samhati Sanbad: the monthly organ (in Bengali) of Hindu Samhati).
Kidnapped Hindu Girl Rescued and Brought Back to Hindu Fold
Kalpana Mandal, a beautiful 17-year-old Hindu girl, a resident of sub-divisional town of Basirhat of the North 24-Parganas district, was love-trapped by a Muslim man a few months ago. He encouraged her to leave her parents and flee with him. Entrapped in love, she deserted her parents, married him, converted to Islam and began to live with him in his house. Her father made contacts with the local activists of Hindu Samhati (HS) and rescued her. The girl left her house again. Her father then took her to the members of Hindu Samhati for guiding her to the right path. She stayed with HS members who counseled her through this difficult period in her life. After 15 days, Kalpana could understand the evils of Islam and changed her mind. She refused to go back to her crafty, conniving Muslim husband. Then Manoj Mukherjee, a young Hindu agreed to marry her. She was married to Manoj on last 22nd November, 2010, following all Hindu customs and rituals. Now they are living happily, as a bright, cheerful couple (Courtesy: Samhati Sanbad).
Hindu Girl Kidnapped, Gang-raped and Buried Alive
According to a report appeared in the July 30, 2006 edition of Ananda Bazar Patrika (a Calcutta based Bengali daily), 12-year-old Hindu girl, Dipali Roy, of the Bakchar area of Bamangola in the district of Maldah, was kidnapped by Muslims miscreants, gang-raped and buried alive in a nearby jute-field in Maldah. It should be mentioned here that Muslims are 49.72% of the total population of Maldah (2001 census), which, many believe, has crossed 50% at present. A preliminary investigation revealed that Dipali was kidnapped, gang-raped and then buried alive. Police could recover the body on July 26, 2006, and arrested 3 suspects Anarul Haq, Jahangir Shaikh and Mithun Shaikh. Police was trying to capture 3 other suspects, who were absconding.
Hindu Girl Falsely Married and then Feared Sold by Muslim Zealots
In this case, the victim was Madhumita Haldar, daughter of Sambhu Charan Haldar, a resident of Bhadropara Village, under Raidighi police station, in the South 24-Parganas district, West Bengal. In February 2007, Ninnuki Sheikh, based in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, was visiting his kin Ishaq Sheikh at Bhadropara and approached Aloka Haldar, mother of the victim Madhumita, with a marriage proposal. He offered Madhumita a good life after marriage with a Hindu boy Pappu, a friend of his nephew Habil Sheikh, who lived in Rampur. The Hindu family was cajoled into believing that Pappu and his family were Hindus. Aloka and Shambucharan, living in poverty, were ecstatic to find a suitable groom, who would support and marry their daughter. Subsequently, Madhumita was married to Pappu at the local Hindu temple. Thereafter, the newly married couple left for Rampur by Jammu Tawai express.
After a few months, when Aloka and Shambu Charan went to visit their daughter and her husband, they found that their daughter was missing. Moreover, they were surprised by the conversation they had with the neighbors. Some people offered them money to buy their daughter, if there be any. This alarmed the Haldars and they returned to Rampur after two months only to find their daughter still missing. Repeated efforts to locate their daughter came to naught. The Haldars sold off their meagre holdings and went back to Rampur again. Their daughter was still missing; no trace of Madhumita was found. Since then, Madhumita’s parents have spent their life’s savings to search for their missing daughter but in vain. (Courtesy: Samhati Sanbad, Mar 6, 2009). The number of such incidents is so many that it is not possible to mention all such cases within an article.
Incidents in Bangladesh
Since the October 2001 general election in Bangladesh that brought the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)- Jamat-e-Islami-led coalition government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to power for the second time, a new wave of brutality and violence was been unleashed against minorities, the Hindus, Budhists, Christians and tribal people. The violence against minorities has surpassed that of 1992, when Begum Zia became the Prime Minister for the first time. Hundreds of thousands of minority families have been affected. The violence range from gang-rape and abduction of minor children to elderly women, brutality, murders, attack on temples, churches and orphanage, looting, land-grabbing, eviction and forced conversion to Islam. Minorities are being forced to pay Jizya tax to live in their ancestral homes. The law enforcement authorities are not providing protection to the minorities, rather helping the criminals commit their heinous acts of barbaric dimensions. The violence against religious minorities was going on unabated.
Anju Rani Das (16), a Hindu School Girl Kidnapped and Gang Raped on 19th March, 2010 at Patuakhali
Hardly a week ago, Anju Rani Das, a Hindu adolescent school girl (16), was gang-raped after kidnapping her from custody of her brother on 19th March, 2010, at Baufol Sub-district of Patuakhali district of Bangladesh. She was a student of Class IX standard was seized forcibly and kidnapped from custody of her elder brother Her father Amullya Chandra Das (45) is a resident of Kolapara village in the Patuakhali district. .Anju Rani Das was physically assaulted, their belongings looted by the perpetrators and took the victim away at Kaina and more than 8 Muslim perpetrators raped her one after another. Kaina is 10-15 kilometres away from the Baufal police station. Initially, the local people came to know about this incident of gang-rape and informed the police.
The police then identified 8 miscreants, namely (1) Hanif Howlader ( 38), (2) Bashir Mollah (30), (3) Forkan Howlader (25), (4) Mohammad Masum – a.k.a. commander Masud (28), (5) Jamal Khan (35), (6) Mohammad Liton (25), (7) Abdul Mannan (30) and (8) Md. Abul Kalam (32).
The victim lodged first information report (FIR) at Boufol police station (case No. 20 dated 20.03.2010 under section 9(3)30 of Women and Children Repression Ordinance, 2003 and 341/379 of Bangladesh penal code) against those perpetrators. Out of eight perpetrators, two have been arrested by police in the meantime. Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) Dhaka, immediately communicated with the Superintendent of Police, Patuakhali (Cell number: +01713374311) who admitted this unfortunate incident and he informed BDMW that two perpetrators are: Md. Hanif Howlader (38) and Md. Bashir Mollah (30) have been arrested. (courtesy: Advocate Rabindra Ghosh).
Bangladeshi Hindu Girl Abducted, Forced to Convert to Islam
On October 7, 2009, the Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) recently reported the abduction and forced conversion of a Bangladeshi Hindu girl to Islam; two human rights organizations, Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) and Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) also investigated it. At 12:45am on 13 June, 2009, Koli Goswami was asleep in her bed when five Muslims broke into the family home in Ghosai Chandura, located in northern Bangladesh. They vandalized the home and grabbed the 21-year old Koli Goswami, a college student. She cried out, but the miscreants easily overpowered her and covered her head to muffle the screams. When others in the house came to her aid, the perpetrators drew their guns, started shooting, and carried off the girl as she struggled to break free. Her family has not seen her since that night three months ago.
According to human rights activist Rabindra Ghosh, who investigated this case, police deny that any crime occurred and refuse to file a case despite physical evidence of a break-in, which they admit having; the family’s video taped testimony. The legal complaint was however lodged by the girl’s guardians, who also requested the police to locate and recover their daughter. Police, on the other hand, tried to paint the incident as a love-affair, and refused to admit it as a case of kidnapping. "It is not kidnapping. It is a love-affair between the kidnapper and victim”, said the police officer.
Hindu Girl Kidnapped, Converted to Islam, Raped and Married to Muslim in Satkhira
According to a report appeared in the March 27, 2007 edition of Dainik Statesman, a Calcutta-based Bengali daily, 7 advocates kidnapped a minor Hindu girl, daughter of Hiralal Das of Babulia village under the police station of Satkhira, in the district of Khulna, Bangladesh. According to the criminal case filed by Motirani Das, the unfortunate girl’s mother, 7 culprits—namely Ajharul Islam, Sirajul Islam, Rezauddaula Bachchu, Haidar Ali, Imam Hossain, Ashraful Alam Siddiqi and Rizaul Islam—committed the crime. Investigations revealed that the culprits kidnapped the daughter of Hiralal Das on March 13 from the village, Babulia. The next day, they took her to the Satkhira court and converted her to Islam by an affidavit (on which she was forced to put her signature) and on the same day, by another affidavit, she was married to Haidar Ali. The above-mentioned affidavits were prepared by other culprits Ajharul Islam and Sirajul Islam.
Kidnapping and Forceful Conversion of Two Minor Hindu Girls to Islam in Bangladesh
According to a report by Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), published on August 5, 2002, two minor Hindu girls, namely Sushma Rani Malo (15), daughter of Shri Anil Chandra Malo, and Putul Rani Malo (15), daughter of Shri Monoranjan Malo of village Kulpaddy, of Police Station and District of Madaripur, were kidnapped from their houses. The guardians of the victims described in a very heart-rending manner to Advocate Rabindra Ghosh, President HRCBM, Dhaka, Bangladesh, that their minor daughters were students of Class VIII. The minor girls were kidnapped by some Muslims of the same village, led by the Imam of Madaripur Sadar Hospital Mosque. They were forced to sign an affidavit that they are 19 years of age, and wanted to convert to Islam at their own will on 25th of July, 2002. In addition, they were allured and detained and compelled by some Muslims of the same locality, particularly the supporters of Jamat-e-Islami Party, to swear an affidavit by a Notary Public at Madaripur.
The victims, Putul Rani Malo and Sushma Rani Malo, came back to their parents on 25th July, 2002, in the evening. On hearing the news that the two girls had gone back to their parents some Jamal-e-Islami supporters numbering about 250/300 surrounded the houses of the girls at about 11 P.M. at night. The criminals started assaulting Arun Chandra Malo (26), brother of victim Sushma Rani Malo. Arun Chandra Malo sustained severe injuries on the lower portion of the eyes, which were still visible after 8 days. He was under the treatment of a local doctor. Ultimately, the two victim girls were again kidnapped away by the Muslim criminals on 26th July, 2002. The police and law enforcement authorities did neither provide any protection to the girls and their families, nor arrested the criminals.
Not only that the miscreants with the help of some police officials of Madaripur police station tactfully obtained an undertaking from the guardians of the girls that they do not like to lodge any complain with the police and they did not lodge any case against the criminals. Advocate Rabindra Ghosh, finally, was successful in filing two F.I.R.’s with the Madaripur Police Station during his visit.
Sumi Rani Saha, a Hindu girl, abducted without trace after three months
The Daily Amar Desh (Bangladeshi daily) reported on August 6, 2007, that police could not rescue Sumi Rani Saha (14), a Hindu school-going student, even after three months of her abduction. Law enforcing agency also could not know whether Sumi was alive or she was killed after her abduction. Swapon Saha, father of Sumi Rani Saha is now moving at the door of police and different human rights organizations after he failed to find out his daughter. Police arrest a youth, named Mamun, in this connection but failed to collect any information from him the whereabouts of Sumi Rani Saha. It was learnt that National Women Lawyers Association was trying to rescue Sumi Rani Saha.
A Hindu Teenage Girl Kidnapped and Raped in Natore District
According to a press report released by The Daily Janakantha, a Dhaka-based Bengali daily, on May 20, 2007, a minority girl, named Beauty Rani (16), was kidnapped and raped in Natore district, although the victim used to regard the rapist as her godfather. She could not be rescued despite repeated requests to the law enforcing authorities. Beauty’s mother told the police that a man named Gazi, a ring leader during the regime of the alliance government, came to her house on Thursday night, and took Beauty to his house saying that he had some important talks with her. When aunt of Beauty Satyarani and a man, named Narayan, tried resist, they were scolded by Gazi at that time. Locals of the area were afraid of Gazi. Later on, Gazi did not take her in his house, but to a banana garden, where he beat Beauty and raped her. Thereafter, he threatened to kill her if she discloses it to anyone else and then fled from the spot. A case was lodged in this connection with the police station on Friday and the medical test of Beauty was also done. Police told that there were many cases against terrorist Gazi. The locals told that Gazi and his associates were very silent for so many days after the hand over of the power of the alliance government. But recently, they got very active. They again started snatch-theft at the dead of night and other crimes.
Chanda Rani, a Hindu Girl Kidnapped and Forcefully Converted to Islam
According to a report by HRCBM, on August 3, 2007, Chanda Rani Das, a minor Hindu girl (15), daughter of Ms. Sumitra Rani Das (Mother) and Bikash Chandra Das (Father) of Shanti Nagar Lane, under police station Sonadanga, in the district of Khulna, was kidnapped on 10th July 2007 by Shamim Aktar (nick-named Maya) (35), son of Md. Iqbal Hossain, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police. Kidnapper Shamim has got two previous wives and children, and is known to everybody as notorious criminal in the locality. A case with the Sonadanga police station (case No. 09 dated 10.07.2007) was registered against Shamim (who was absconding) by Sumitra Rani Das. Rabindra Ghosh, the president of HRCBM, investigated into the incident.
Legal guardian of the victim sent us an appeal requesting us to put pressure on the law enforcing agency to recover their children. They also reported to us that Md. Iqbal Hossain, now a sub-inspector of Police, posted at Dinajpur police camp, have been putting pressure on victim’s legal guardian to withdraw the case immediately, or to face dire consequences. The threat left the guardians scared. Said Rabindra Ghosh: “We have gone to the spot and Sonadanga Police station at Khulna on 3rd August 2007 at about 12 p.m. and met Abdul Mabud, the officer-in-charge of Sonadanga police station. He informed us that the perpetrator has already married this victim girl although he has two previous wives.”
Some other incidents
Ms. Shila Rani, a Hindu women (20) and wife of Nitur Panua, of the Choura Patakata village under the police station Amtali in the district of Barguna, was raped on 15th April, 2007 by Md. Habibur Rahman (40), son of late Chudu Howlader of Chowra of the same district. An F.I.R. lodged by the victim on April 16, 2007, at the Amtali police station.
Investigative Report of HRCBM, Dhaka, found that a destitute Hindu girl Ramala Sarkar alias Mouri (17), residing at South Taktabunia village under Amtali police station of the district Barguna, fell a victim to gang rape by Muslims. The incident took place on April 13, 2007. (Investigation conducted on April 27, 2007, by HRCBM representative Ms. Minati Datta at Patuakhali).
Source: Faith Freedom
