Gujarat tribals `reconverted' to Hinduism in Dang district

As many as 144 members of a tribal community who had converted to Christianity were converted back to Hinduism in Gujarat's Dang district on Friday, a religious leader claimed.

The event was organized at Bhogadiya village by some local religious leaders with the support of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, said Sadhvi Yashoda Didi of Shivrimal Ashram in the district.

"These Warli tribals were lured into embracing Christianity by missionaries five years ago. They contacted us recently, saying they were not feeling comfortable following this religion," she said.

"As they wanted to come back to Hinduism, we arranged this program of `Ghar Wapsi' today," she added.

Most of those who reconverted to Hinduism were residents of Bhogadiya while some were from surrounding villages.

A `yajna' (sacred fire) was organized to 'purify' the village and the head priest of the Unai temple presided over the re-conversion program, Yashoda Didi said.

"We did not make any false promise to these tribals to persuade them to embrace their ancestral faith," she added.