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BJP to organise re-conversion show in Chhattisgarh
Raipur, June 10: In the run up to the first ever assembly elections in this predominantly tribal state, BJP is all set to play the Hindutva card by organising a massive reconversion programme here on June 23.
Raipur, June 10: In the run up to the first ever assembly elections in this predominantly tribal state, BJP is all set to play the Hindutva card by organising a massive reconversion programme here on June 23.
The 'ghar vapasi' programme, a brainchild of BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Forests and Environment Dilip Singh Judeo, aims at bringing back to the Hindu fold the tribals who were converted to Christianity by the missionaries operating in the state.
"Chhattisgarh, particularly the tribal belt, has been the target of Christian missionaries, who have been converting unsuspecting tribals under the garb of helping them," alleged Judeo, who has been on the campaign trail in northern regions of the state by undertaking a "parivartan" (transformation) yatra.
He alleged that mass scale conversions have taken place in the state ever since Ajit Jogi became the chief minister - a sentiment echoed by the RSS in Delhi last week.
Alleging connivance on Jogi's part, RSS spokesman Ram Madhav had also demanded that the state government enact an anti-conversion law on the lines of similar legislation in Gujarat and Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh.
"Conversions will be the main issue in the forthcoming elections, apart from the misdeeds of the Jogi government," BJP national vice president Karuna Shukla, accompanying Judeo on the yatra, said at Pratappur in Sarguja district.
Interestingly, BJP had been consistently maintaining at the national level that it would be contesting the polls on the development plank.
Judeo has been organising such 'ghar vapasi' programmes for almost three decades and claims to have re-converted over six lakh tribals who had "strayed away".
The BJP had simultaneously launched three "parivartan yatras" on June 1, with an eye on the forthcoming polls.
BJP flagged of the ‘parivartan yatra’ from three places, all homes to the reigning deities of the state, on June 1.
Judeo and Shukla began the yatra at Ratanpur, home to Goddess Mahamaya, while state BJP chief Raman Singh has been undertaking his tour from Dantewara from the temple of Goddess Danteshwari.
Union Minister for mines embarked on the campaign from Dongargarh, which has the temple of Lord Bamleshwari.
Bureau Report
"Chhattisgarh, particularly the tribal belt, has been the target of Christian missionaries, who have been converting unsuspecting tribals under the garb of helping them," alleged Judeo, who has been on the campaign trail in northern regions of the state by undertaking a "parivartan" (transformation) yatra.
He alleged that mass scale conversions have taken place in the state ever since Ajit Jogi became the chief minister - a sentiment echoed by the RSS in Delhi last week.
Alleging connivance on Jogi's part, RSS spokesman Ram Madhav had also demanded that the state government enact an anti-conversion law on the lines of similar legislation in Gujarat and Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh.
"Conversions will be the main issue in the forthcoming elections, apart from the misdeeds of the Jogi government," BJP national vice president Karuna Shukla, accompanying Judeo on the yatra, said at Pratappur in Sarguja district.
Interestingly, BJP had been consistently maintaining at the national level that it would be contesting the polls on the development plank.
Judeo has been organising such 'ghar vapasi' programmes for almost three decades and claims to have re-converted over six lakh tribals who had "strayed away".
The BJP had simultaneously launched three "parivartan yatras" on June 1, with an eye on the forthcoming polls.
BJP flagged of the ‘parivartan yatra’ from three places, all homes to the reigning deities of the state, on June 1.
Judeo and Shukla began the yatra at Ratanpur, home to Goddess Mahamaya, while state BJP chief Raman Singh has been undertaking his tour from Dantewara from the temple of Goddess Danteshwari.
Union Minister for mines embarked on the campaign from Dongargarh, which has the temple of Lord Bamleshwari.
Bureau Report