Lucknow: In a freakish incident, a Muslim youth Furqan Ahmad converted to Hinduism with a new name Phool Singh in
Baghpat district in order to get a license for a rifle.
Furqan Ahmad shaved off his head kept a choti, applied a tilak to his forehead, and declared before officials that he was now Hindu.
Ahmad who was trying to get licence for past six year believes that he has been denied a licence only because he is Muslim. He thought that the only way to overcome religious discrimination is to embrace Hinduism.
He was keen to work as a security guard but need a licence for a firearm to fulfill his desire. Furqan father of has six drives an e-rickshaw. He wanted to work as a part-time security guard in order to increase his income
Furqan said. “Since the past six year, I have been trying to get my license made but could not succeed. All my papers
were in order but the still did not get the license.”
He said he first applied for the license in 2010 and kept doing the rounds of various offices to get clearances and permission. In 2014, he was curtly informed that his file had been ‘lost’.
Furqan stated. “I filed a fresh application and went through all the procedures again but could not get the license. In the past six years, Baghpat has seen ten district magistrates but my case remains where it was.”
After filing an RTI about his case his case was not even put up for perusal of officials.
Nearly 378 people had been given arms licences but Furqan was denied. His friend said that he is probably being denied a license because he was a Muslim living in a communally sensitive district.
Furqan said. “It was then that I decided to convert and become a Hindu because for me, giving my children a square meal is more important than my religion. So I am now Phool Singh and will again apply for the licences and I hope to get it this time.”