(AsiaNews) Some 300 Tribal Christians were reconverted to Hinduism in a public ceremony that ended with the receiving gifts such as food and new clothing. The event took place on Sunday October 17 in Orissas Sindurgh district (northern India ), this according to Mgr Alphonse Bilung, Bishop of Rourkela (Orissa). Although the media reported that 80 families were reconverted to Hinduism, the truth of the matter is that 336 people went back to Hinduism as a result of force and promises, Bishop Bilung said. Fundamentalist groups are telling lies and inflating the numbers of reconversions in order to scare the Tribals. According to him, fundamentalists groups are very active in Orissa and make life difficult for Christian Tribals who are often threatened if they attend Church services. Because they live among Hindus and rely largely on the Hindu majority for employment, these Christians find it very hard to live. This is especially true in Rourkela s iron ore sector. According to Bishop Bilung, a recent rally by Charismatic Christians in the Rourkela area is the likely reason for the recent reconversions. This provoked the fundamentalists wrath because they think, Bishop Bilung said, that rallies such as this are conversion drives. Mass conversions are not a new phenomenon in Orissa, one of the Indian states with the strongest presence of Hindu fundamentalists.
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