VHP turns on the heat on Soren over conversion, NPR
New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) sparked off a fresh row on Monday by alleging that Christian missionaries were conducting religious conversion of tribals in Jhharkhand.
Hitting out at the Jharkhand Chief Minister, the VHP questioned the recent violence in the state over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), claiming that Hemant Soren had met senior Christian missionaries to address their demand to halt the National Population Register (NPR) till tribals are enlisted as a separate religion.
VHP Secretary General Milind Parande said, “Christian missionaries are enticing the powerful tribal community into converting”.
He added that the VHP will not allow the “heinous conspiracy” to succeed.
“The tribals of Jharkhand should not forget the valiant effort made by the martyrs such as Birsa Munda in trying to fight the devious efforts of religious conversion by these Christian missionaries,” he alleged.
Alleging an attack on the tribal culture, Parande said, “The tribals had produced many brave fighters who laid down their lives fighting against foreign invaders… Some of these valiant efforts like those of Rana Punja’s struggle against Akbar… Govind Guru’s struggle against the British and the 1857 struggle of Tatya Bhil are renowned all over the world.”
The VHP also balemed “propaganda” for the recent violence in Lohardaga and other parts of the country involving pro and anti-CAA protesters.
Parande claimed that some Christian missionaries, which were banned for indulging in illegal trafficking of tribal children, have again “resumed their illegal operations in the past few months”.
