2 minor Hindu girls forcibly converted to Christianity in orphanage; their Krishna idol destroyed [ Maharashtra, India ]

[ Reported as seen ]

In Pune, Maharashtra, 2 minor girls have been forcibly converted to Christianity in an orphanage. The girls, who had just lost their mother, had first been taken against their will to an orphanage in the Daund area, where they were tortured and coerced into becoming nuns.

After learning of the incident, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) called for rigorous action to be taken in the matter. The NCPCR said that the two young girls were forced to read the bible in a notice that was published on November 24. Additionally, it claimed that the two girls in the orphanage were subjected to abuse, forced to perform tasks that were inappropriate for children to perform, and cleaned toilets with acid.

As per a media report, an IHRC member said Two young girls from Pune’s Shivajinagar neighbourhood were sent to an orphanage when they were forced to lose their mother to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The girls’ father is a drinker who has no concern for the children since his wife’s death. According to the IHRC member, a local social worker was following up with the family at the time. The social worker saw the two young girls’ plight and advised their families to move the kids to a Pune local hostel for better education.

As a result, the girls’ aunts admitted them to the Ramabai Mission orphanage in Daund. The aunts were assured that this was only a temporary arrangement and that the girls would be released once admittance to a local Pune-based dormitory for a higher education was allowed. That, however, never occurred. Instead, the Ramabai Mission orphanage held and confined the girls for about two years. The orphanage girls were bullied and forced to clean the toilets.

“The girls’ aunts went to the orphanage several times to get them back, but they were ignored, given vague answers, threatened, and driven out.” “After pressuring the orphanage management to return the girls, aunts were occasionally allowed to meet them for just a few minutes,” the IHRC member explained.

According to the complaint filed with the NCPCR, the orphanage wrongfully retained the girls and persuaded the aunts to believe that their education and marriage would be provided for. However, the girls were subjected to the most inhumane physical and emotional torment throughout their two-year incarceration.

“They were beaten every now and then. Their clothes were torn and they never were allowed good clothes. They were forced to clean public toilets and were deprived of any basic personal hygiene. They developed Fungal infections on their hand because of this. They were never given any soap or toothpaste. They were forced to take shower in the open shower in front of others rather than a private shower,” the complaint read.

The girls’ religious views were also attacked. According to the lawsuit, the orphanage administrators damaged the Lord Krishna idol that the girls were carrying while they were briefly brought to the institution. The girls were also forced to read the Bible and were forced to become Christians.

“Their Baptism was performed by the pastors from a local Church within the Mission premises. They were forced to go to church every Sunday and reciting Christian prayers was mandatory. Any disobey of this order was dealt with the physical beating and keeping them hungry. For the whole day they would not be served any food,” the complaint read.

According to OpIndia, the underage girls were also forbidden from wearing religious symbols and were pushed to believe in Jesus. They were also required to attend Church every Sunday. According to the lawsuit, the underage girls’ relatives as well as Hindu Gods and Goddesses were assaulted.

The aunts of the girls attempted numerous times but were unsuccessful. The girls were finally found after their aunts called a local Hindu organisation, which heard their appeal and verified the occurrence. A complaint was filed with the NCPCR by a local Hindu organisation in collaboration with the Indian Human Rights Council (IHRC).