Miscellaneous news and discussion - 2

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<b>VHP converts 19 Christians </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The tribal belt of Malda-Dinajpur has seen many such reconversions by VHP and BJP in recent times. In August 2002, at this same place, <b>six Christian families and one Muslim family were converted to Hinduism</b>.

"We will intensify our programme to bring back people who had been lured into Christianity and Islam," said a VHP leader.

These 19 'reconverts' - including five women and five children of six families - hail from the backward tribal village of Bordanga. Swami Hiranmayananda was brought from Kolkata to conduct the 'purification' yajna in front of a crowd of hundreds, including local BJP leader Asit Sarkar and chief of Hindu Milan Mandir Swami Jibannanda.

The tribals were given new clothes, which they wore after taking a bath. Pulin Mardi, his wife Sanjini and son Tabi were the first to have converted from Christianity back to Hinduism.

<b>"The Fathers and missionaries lured us with amenities. But we were duped. We realized this and decided to come back to Hinduism,"</b> said Pulin.

<b>Hakim Tudu and Babulal Murmu, however, claimed they were Christians by birth as their father took to Christianity years ago. "It is our duty to rectify the mistake," the duo said</b>. All the 19 got their affidavits from Malda court regarding the conversion.
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