KARACHI:
A Hindu’s conversion to Islam live on television during a prime-time Ramazan chat show has sparked criticism on behalf of religious minorities.
In just five minutes, the 20-year-old introduced as Sunil officially changed his religion under a cleric’s guidance.
A packed studio audience congratulated him and shouted out suggestions for his new Muslim name before he was renamed Muhammad Abdullah – the consensus choice.
Abdullah insisted on Friday that he had been a willing convert.
“I have accepted Islam by my own will and my family has no objection,” he told AFP by telephone from the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust, where a staff member said he has worked as their office boy for the last six years.
The eponymous head of the Trust condemned the live proselytizing and has decided to sue Maya Khan, the host of the ARY programme. “Burney Legal Solicitors London is going to send legal Notice to Anchor Maya Khan and TV owners of 10 million sterling pounds,” Ansar Burney said in a Twitter post.
Critics blasted the show, broadcast by ARY on Wednesday.
However, Burney said the TV channel was not involved in the ‘conversion drama’. “Sunil is a young man, who I was informed was forced to convert, though it seems now the actions were not by ARY TV,” said another tweet.
It was a second controversy in recent months for chat show host Maya Khan, who was this year sacked by Samaa TV after chasing couples in a public park, accusing them of behaving immorally.
Ramesh Kumar, a leader of the Pakistan Hindu Council, told AFP that Wednesday’s programme would encourage intolerance. “We are already intimidated. The government gives little heed to the kidnapping of Hindus and forced faith conversion of our girls. Please don’t do things that make us more alienated,” he told AFP.
Talat Hussain also warned against turning religion into mass entertainment. “Think about how Muslims would feel when Buddhists in Burma show similarly a Muslim being converted in a live TV show,” he told AFP.
According to Pakistan government figures, Hindus make up 2.5% of the country’s population of around 180 million.
(AFP with additional input by News Desk)
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
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@jordan: to your rubbish & irrelevant question my answer is 'no religion allows that'. Additionally, no religion allows adultery also, as practiced in West today. But then people like you, only have to point out non-existent flaws with Islam only.
of course
that's the delusion muslims live on
they want equal rights in secular countries but do not give equal rights to non muslims in their own majority nations
two faced blatant hypocrisy
Next show will be which imaginary ancestors whether Turkish, Arab or persian will Sunil like to have after the conversion. People can suggest too !
Hindu are already migrating to India at great level due to this kind of pressures.they are also on target of kidnapping for ransom. if we could stop this all thing it would be good as the Islam is religious of tolerance and peace. but after fundamentalism had been increased we forget the basic and very positive principles of Islam.
Since the host is Maya khan so this guy converting to Islam should be an actor. Shame ARY TV you didn't have nothing else to attract viewers so you used religion.
The issue is being confused here. There is nothing wrong in anyone converting to any religion. The problem occurs when you use religion as a commodity for TRP ratings on TV.
What makes it worse is the people cheering when a minority member converts to Islam. That shows a level of intolerance which borders on scary.
Anyways - if minorities want to live in Pakistan, it's their choice. We can only watch and shake our heads in disbelief at the drama across the border.
@Anon: Do you think they would be stupid enough to point a gun at his head ?
“Sunil is a young man, who I was informed was forced to convert, though it seems now the actions were not by ARY TV,” said another tweet.
Oh! yes conversions to Islam are always peaceful and 'voluntary' [It's the only true religion as everyone knows! LOL!] whereas conversions to other religions from Islam are always 'forced' !
I would love to see a Muslim declaring himself to be an atheist[there are quite a few, if you manage to remove your blinkers to be able to see them !] or even worse affirming that he's a Hindu on the same channel. Till then I will consider this as a blatant propaganda for Islam. In fact they are demeaning it by doing so.
It's gratifying to note that are quite a few fair minded good Muslims in Pakistan who can see through this BS. For Pakistan's sake I fervently hope that they prevail in the long run and stop this slow sinking into a bog of 'napakness' or else the name Pakistan will prove to be the biggest misnomer in the history of mankind. It's high time people realized that religion shouldn't be dragged down to the level of gang warfare,where you obsess about your strength in numbers.It's the quality of its followers that determines the ultimate stature of any religion. Goondas , fanatics and blatant hypocrites demean religion.
@Anon: that's not the issue here. The issue here is the public spectacle. It is disrespectful to religion to use it as a tool for ratings.
Was there a gun pointed to his head during the conversion? Was he kidnapped and brought to the studio? If no, then stop the hoohaa and accept the fact he converts. When a Hindu Rumi Nath converts to Islam in Assam she is beaten up, when a Hindu converts here declaring free will, she/he is deemed to be forced/threatened etc. Its too difficult for prople to digest that people might convert on their own free will to Islam.!!!
Sad, Pakistan's minorities should be protected. This is so sad and a TV sound, ARY should be ashamed.
Why we PAK have one rule for ouselves and another one for rest of the world? Some friends on FACEBOOK have said that Sunil has converted by his own will. Well, everyone knows he has by his will but is that the question here ?
The question is, how can you show religion A superior to religion B on a public platform? How can you humiliate a/any religion by showing your own as superior?
Will Maya and the channel allow airing same if a Muslim wants to convert to other religion? Will this will also be rejoiced in same manner ?
All humans and all faiths are respectable, be islam, hindu, Christianity ahmadi , Buddhist or even ahtiest should be respected.