Source: The Hindu
BHUBANESWAR, ORISSA, INDIA, June 18, 2002: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has reconverted over 5,000 tribal Christians to Hinduism in the Sundargarh district during the past two years. The VHP’s local unit conducted a ceremony after the converted Christians filed affidavits expressing their willingness to reconvert, either before the court or the notary. On June 16, about 143 tribals belonging to 46 families of Oram, Munda and Khadia tribes were reconverted at a special function organized by the Rourkela unit of the VHP at Tainser village under Lathikata block. According to the local VHP organizing secretary, Achyutanand Kar, these tribals had filed affidavits a fortnight ago. Their case was communicated to the district authority before the ceremony was organized. Mr. Kar alleged that Christian missionaries had induced not only tribals but also others in the district to convert to Christianity. Sundargarh alone had as many as 1,100 churches spread over almost all the villages, he added.