Conversion row set to hit Bathinda

Bathinda, The state wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched its controversial “ghar vaapsi” programme in the district. It has planned to publicly perform rituals pertaining to “shuddhikaran” (purification) in the town on January 1.The function will be held at Satya Narayan Mandir, where more than 200 families were allegedly converted to Christianity. All such families would be reconverted, sources said.VHP state general secretary Sukhpal Singh Sran said: “Many Hindus were converted to Christianity. They are being brought back. Many Sikhs would also be reconverted on January 1. A ‘shuddhikaran’ ritual followed by ‘maha yagya’ will be performed for their purification. We are starting the process from Bathinda.”VHP leaders claim a number of people from Punjab who were converted to Christianity had been reconverted in the last few years. They claimed to have brought a number of Hindus who were converted to Christians and worked as pastors, back to their fold.Among 200 families were four pastors who would be reconverted to Hinduism at the purification programme, he claimed. The VHP leaders, however, did not disclose the identity of the pastors and other families who would be converted to Hinduism during the programme.A Bathinda-based pastor said: “I belong to the Balmiki community. I had adopted Christianity in 1995. I was offered some money for adopting Christianity. My salary was raised for campaigning for motivating people to adopt Christianity. I was made pastor and given a handsome salary. I am not forcibly returning to my religion.”

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