HVK Archives: Reconversion stuns Bihar missionaries
Reconversion stuns Bihar missionaries - The Newstime
Newstoday
()
February 7, 1999
Title: Reconversion stuns Bihar missionaries
Author: Newstoday
Publication: The Newstime
Date: February 7, 1999
As many as 600 members of 128 families of tribals in Palamu district of
south Bihar have been motivated into returning to the Hindu fold by
activities of Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, said to be a front organisation of
the Sangh Parivar.
The development has stunned missionaries because it has taken place in
Mahutand block of Palamu considered to be the stronghold of Christians
where missionaries from Belgium had first landed way back in 1877.
According to a report in Rashtriya Navin Mail, popular Hindi daily of
south Bihar, the 600 tribals drawn from Mall, Arrah Hans, Kerker and
Belwar villages of Mahutand block, were re-inducted into the Hindu fold
at a well attended function at Sarswati Sishu Mandir on January 30.
The function had all the ingredients of a 'Hindu sammelan' as the
aspirants for re-conversion were made to go through the motions of an
elaborate purification rituals by an army of priests.
As part of the immaculately planned exercise, the converts were made to
apologise for their 'sin' to embrace Christianity before the gory
exercise of reconversion.
The tribal priests first sacrificed white cocks and smeared the blood on
their forehead before lighting of joss sticks and ritual bathing by the
water of holy Ganga.
Though the conversion of Christian tribals to Hindu fold Is not the
first such event in Palamu, it has assumed significance in the light of
recent events in the country. Only last year, the Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra
had carried out conversions at village Poorandesh in the same block when
78 families had returned to the Hindu fold.
A senior RSS functionary told newsmen in Patna that similar 'dharma
parivartan' would take place in the coming few months saying the
Constitution guaranteed right to religion. As it is south Bihar is
witnessing a battle for supremacy between Christians and BJP.
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