98 tribal Christians 'reconverted' to Hinduism, claims right-wing group

The Hindu Jagran Manch, a Hindu right-wing group, Monday claimed that 98 Christians belonging to 23 tribal families were "reconverted" to Hinduism in Tripura.

The people, mostly tea garden workers hailing from Bihar and Jharkhand, had been converted to Christianity in 2010, Tripura unit president of the Hindu Jagran Manch Uttam Dey said.

"This is like a return of lost family members to their own home. They were Hindus, but were lured into Christianity after the Sonamukhi tea garden in Unakoti district, where they were working, was closed in 2010," Dey told reporters.

He said most of converted persons belong to Orao and Munda tribal communities.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) was also associated with the reconversion programme that took place here in Kailashahar district, around 180 km from state capital Agartala, on Sunday.

VHP Unakoti district secretary Madan Mohan Goswami said it was 'Ghar Wapsi' for the people.

Birsa Munda, one of the reconverted, claimed that they were lured towards Christianity but later treated badly by those who had convinced them to convert.

"We are very poor people. Christians converted us. They also frequently misbehaved with us. We reconverted to Hinduism by our own will," he told reporters.