Humanity Punished By Religion

Papalal, a 36-year-old sculptor-cum-painter at temples is paying a heavy price for his humanity. He is now at the centre of a tug of war between Hindu and Muslim extremists for having adopted (though not legally) an orphaned girl.

Papalal had spotted an injured, frightened and wailing 4-year-old girl at the Gokul Chat blast site in 2007. Moved by the condition of the girl, he took her home, named her Anjali. His wife Jayashree, too, accepted the girl into the fold of her family readily.

All was well till the first anniversary of the blast, when Papalal agreed to give an interview to a news channel. Following the interview, Hindu and Muslim extremists targeted the family, crying foul. Both groups objected to a Muslim child being raised by a Hindu couple.

Islamic leaders demanded that either Anjali be handed over to a madrasa, or the family adopt Islam. They also demanded that Anjali's name be changed to Benazir Fatima. This is because all that the child remembers of her pre-blast life is that her biological parents were named Fatima Begum and Pasha.

Hindu radical groups also resorted to attacking the family, and demanded that either the girl be sent away to an orphanage or the family vacate the neighbourhood.

Finding themselves at the eye of the storm, the couple decided to call their daughter Sonia, as it was a neutral name. The couple state that luck had walked into their lives with the adoption of Sonia, and maintained that they would not part with the girl. Jayashree explains that she got preganant only after the adoption of Sonia, and that Papalal has also registered better income since then.

Sonia, too, is reportedly content with her new family.

The couple say that they have never tried to impress Hinduism upon the child, and that Sonia is enouraged to offer her Namaz prayers every day.

The targeted family sought police protection, in vain. However, when the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) stepped in, the police were forced to actively provide protection to the family.

Papalal was informed by the SHRC that legal adoption of the child is the only thing that would keep their family intact, and he has stated that he would go ahead with the legal proceedings to adopt Sonia.