The apostasy of Afrah Bint Guddu, a former student of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Academy, has raised concerns over the concerted efforts exerted by Hindutva ideologues to lure Muslim girls away from their faith and make them marry Hindu men.
Team Clarion
BAREILLY – A former girl student of a madrassa in this Uttar Pradesh city has fallen into the saffron love trap as she embraced Hinduism and tied the knot with her Hindu boy.
The recent apostasy of Afrah Bint Guddu, a former student of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Academy, has raised concerns over the concerted efforts exerted by Hindutva ideologues to lure Muslim girls away from their faith and make them marry Hindu men. Several Muslim girls have reportedly fallen prey to this devious ploy.
Afrah, a resident of Swale Nagar in District Bareilly, converted to Hinduism at a ceremony officiated by Acharya Pandit K.K. Shankhadhar at August Mani Ashram in Madhinath. However, the conversion has not been without controversy. Afrah’s mother claims she is a minor, born in 2007, based on seminary records, while Afrah insists she was an adult, citing her Aadhaar card, which states her birth year as 2002.
The boy, a neighbour of Afrah, is identified as her husband.
The incident comes amidst a series of reported religious conversion cases in Bareilly, with the latest involving Neha Ismit, a school teacher. Despite facing challenges and an unrecognised certificate, Neha remains steadfast in her new faith.
In Afrah’s case, her mother has filed a complaint with the police, alleging a five-year age difference between the seminary records and the Aadhaar card. Afrah reportedly studied at the madrassa for two and a half years, pursuing aalmiyath but not completing the course.
The in-charge of the seminary said that the police had also come to his institution for questioning. They checked the records. Her year of birth registered at the time of her admission was 2007. She studied at the seminary for two and a half years.
The incident adds to the ongoing debate surrounding religious conversions in Bareilly. Notably, Neha Ismit’s case saw prolonged controversy, with the temple eventually declaring her conversion certificate unrecognised. Neha, refusing her mother Rani Begum’s plea to return home, continues to live with the man she eloped with, against whom Rani Begum has filed a case of elopement.
The religious conversion of a madrassa student by the Mahant of August Mani Ashram has ignited a fresh wave of debate, particularly due to the age dispute.
Police investigation will play a crucial role in unraveling the complexities of this case and addressing the broader issue of religious conversions in the region.
