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Chapter29
Religious Minorities
Violence against religious minorities continued to be reported
from Madhya Pradesh, Kerela, Rajasthan, Orissa and Andhra
Pradesh. The victims are mainly the Adivasis, indigenous
peoples who are the target of conversion and reconversion.
Reconversion of the indigenous/tribals peoples from
Christianity to Hinduism under Ghar Vapsi (Home Coming)
programme of the Vishwa Hindu Prishad, Rushikul Seva Trust,
Bharat Vikash Parishad (VHP), Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram and
Adivasi Suraksha Samiti continues.
Around 212 tribals who had embraced Christianity from two
western Orissa districts of Jharsuguda and Sundergarh were
reportedly re-converted to Hinduism at a specially arranged function
in Jharsuguda town on 4 March 2004 in a two-hour ceremony. The
ceremony was presided over by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dilip
Singh Judeo, who reportedly washed and wiped the feet of the tribal
men, women and children with Ganga jal (water of Hindu holy river
Ganges) symbolizing their back home to Hinduism. 1 On 19
September 2004, the Orissa units of the VHP and Bajrang Dal
reconverted 75 Christian tribals into Hinduism at a Ghara Bahuda
(home coming) ceremony at Sarad under Udala sub-division of
Mayurbhanj district. The converts belonged to 35 tribal families and
included 36 women. 2 On 17 October 2004, about 85 Christian tribal
families comprising 336 members were reconverted to Hinduism at
a function organized by the VHP at Birda village in Sundergarh
district of Orissa. The reconversion included 114 men, 117 women
and 75 minor children, hailing from 11 villages of seven gram