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A Troubling Parallel: Forced Conversions in Pakistan, the Ajmer 1992 Case, and British Grooming Gangs

Vinay Nalwa

Updated: Jan 14

By Vinay Nalwa


Humanity often prides itself on progress, yet some crimes expose the hollowness of that claim, revealing the depths of moral decay beneath a veneer of civility. The recent revelations of grooming gangs in the UK are a chilling reminder of how the vulnerable are preyed upon in a society that too often looks the other way. For those aware of the Ajmer rape scandal of 1992, these events resonate with haunting familiarity. Similarly, the issue of forced conversions of Hindu minor girls in Pakistan echoes these crimes, underscoring the systemic exploitation of the vulnerable, perpetuated by societal apathy, institutional failures, and the influence of dominant groups.


In 1992, the town of Ajmer, Rajasthan, was rocked by the exposure of one of India's most horrifying sexual exploitation rackets. As reported in media outlets such as BBC, India Today and The Times of India, the perpetrators, led by influential men from the politically connected Chishty family associated with the Dargah, sexually exploited over 200 young Hindu girls. Many of the victims were minors, with some as young as 13 or 14.

The scandal began to unravel when explicit photographs of the victims surfaced, reportedly taken without their consent. The girls were blackmailed into silence using these photos, forcing them into submission. According to reports, the perpetrators often lured the victims by pretending to be their friends, trapping them in a web of deceit and abuse.


What made the crime even more egregious was the widespread apathy and fear surrounding the case. Many families of the victims hesitated to come forward, fearing societal stigma or repercussions from the powerful perpetrators. The case, despite its scale, received limited national attention at the time due to political pressures and societal attitudes. The perpetrators in the Ajmer case were associated with a prominent political and social group, leading to reluctance in pursuing the matter aggressively. Authorities and local leaders may have feared communal tensions or backlash, resulting in a deliberate underreporting and lack of widespread public discussion.


The British grooming gang cases share unsettling similarities. Over decades, thousands of underage girls were systematically targeted and abused by predominantly Muslim men of Pakistani origin in towns like Rotherham and Rochdale Telford, young girls some as young as 11were targeted, groomed, and abused over decades.


Investigations, such as the Jay Report (2014), revealed that authorities often failed to act decisively due to fears of being labelled racist or Islamophobic, perpetuating the victims' suffering. The perpetrators exploited cultural and racial stereotypes to justify their heinous actions, while institutional failures allowed these crimes to flourish.


Pakistan itself is witness to a disturbing continuum of exploitation where the abduction, rape, trafficking and forced conversions of Hindu minor girls has become common. The issue of forced conversions, abductions, and marriages of minor Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh province, has been highlighted in various reports and discussions. In the UK Parliament debate on November 28, 2024, led by Jim Shannon (DUP), the systemic persecution of religious minorities, including Hindus, was discussed. Key points included the abduction of minor girls, forced conversions, and their marriage to Muslim captors, often with little legal recourse.


Approximately 1,000 girls are abducted annually for forced conversion and marriage.

A report by UN experts (April 2024) shed light on these abuses, including trafficking, domestic servitude, and sexual violence. Courts often justify such acts by invoking religious laws, and police dismiss many cases as "love marriages." The minority girls are marginalized and trapped in cycles of abuse, with inadequate protection and justice.

UN experts have expressed dismay at the continuing lack of protection for young women and girls belonging to minority communities in Pakistan.

“Christian and Hindu girls remain particularly vulnerable to forced religious conversion, abduction, trafficking, child, early and forced marriage, domestic servitude and sexual violence,” the experts said. “The exposure of young women and girls belonging to religious minority communities to such heinous human rights violations and the impunity of such crimes can no longer be tolerated or justified.”


The UN experts also expressed concern that forced marriages and religious conversions of girls from religious minorities are validated by the courts, often invoking religious law to justify keeping victims with their abductors rather than allowing them to return them to their parents. “Perpetrators often escape accountability, with police dismissing crimes under the guise of ‘love marriages’,” they said.

The experts stressed that child, early and forced marriage cannot be justified on religious or cultural grounds. They underlined that, under international law, consent is irrelevant when the victim is a child under the age of 18.


Like in Ajmer and the UK, religious and communal dynamics play a significant role, with powerful groups silencing victims and obstructing justice. The parallels across these cases are striking. In all instances, vulnerable girls were targeted, their voices stifled by societal stigma and institutional complicity. The Ajmer scandal, British grooming gangs, and forced conversions in Pakistan highlight how fear, political correctness, and communal sensitivities enable such crimes. In Pakistan, law enforcement agencies often refuse to act due to personal biases or ties to religious groups, mirroring the UK’s culture of political correctness and Ajmer’s reluctance to confront powerful perpetrators.


The judiciary, too, has faltered in providing justice. In Pakistan, courts have inconsistently addressed forced conversion cases, with some rulings justifying the perpetrators' actions under constitutional protections of religious freedom. Similarly, in the UK, delayed justice was linked to authorities prioritizing social and political sensitivities over victim protection. The Ajmer case saw perpetrators shielded by their influential status, further highlighting the pervasive influence of power and privilege in perpetuating such crimes.

Ultimately, these cases demand more than punitive measures. They require systemic reform to address the societal, institutional, and cultural factors that allow such exploitation to persist. Whether in Ajmer, the UK, or Pakistan, the silence surrounding these crimes reflects a profound betrayal of humanity’s duty to protect the vulnerable. Justice must go beyond rhetoric, ensuring that no victim’s voice is silenced by fear, stigma, or complicity.

 

(The writer holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and is an author, with her latest book being Blood in the Sea: The Dark History of Hindu Oppression in Goa.)

 

 

 

 

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