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At least 53 Christian families in five tribal-dominated villages in Jharkhand’s Arki area were converted allegedly by the RSS as part of the ‘Christianity-free’ block campaign, Hindustan Times reported.
According to RSS, these families who live in Sindri panchayat have been “hijacked” by Christian missionaries over the last 10 years and now have “returned to Hindu fold”.
“You cannot call it conversion. We are only bringing our lost brothers and sisters back to their religion,” RSS Saiyojak Laxman Singh Munda was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.
“We want a Christianity-free block. The villagers will soon return to their roots,” he added.
Sources told the daily that the “ghar wapsi” would continue throughout April.
Tribals account for 26.2 percent of Jharkhand’s population of 33 million. Around 4.5 percent of these tribals are Christians. Over the years, several tribals in Jharkhand have embraced Christianity.
Sarna Dharamguru (faith leader) Bandhan Tigga said alleged that RSS was worried that if Sarna tribals convert to Christianity, they could pose a threat to Hinduism.
“When the CM himself talks of conversion at public platforms, it is evident that RSS’s activities will gain momentum,” Tigga told HT.
Sarna tribe worships Mother Nature and claims to belong to a non-Hindu, non-Muslim and non-Christian faith. But the socio-economic surveys and the census considered them as Hindus.