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BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, September 17, 2004: Nearly 50 Christian families in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district will be reconverted to Hinduism on September 19. The ceremony is being organized by the VHP. Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj, was the home of the late Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his widow Gladys for a number of years. Dara Singh, main accused in Staines’s murder, also used to operate in the area and was eventually arrested in the district. As per the provisions of the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act (OFRA), Christian families have submitted affidavits stating their intention to change their religion. “It will be wrong to describe it as reconversion,” said VHP state secretary Gouri Prasad Rath. “We call it homecoming.” Launching an attack on the district administration, Rath said, “When we organize a home-coming ceremony, we have to follow all the provisions of the OFRA. But when these gullible people were converted to Christianity, no permission was required from the district administration.” Meanwhile, Christian leaders in the state have voiced their protests against such reconversions. They allege partiality on the part of the district administration in enforcing the provisions of the OFRA. “While the district administration deny permission to those seeking to change their religion to Christianity, they readily grant permission to the so-called ‘home-coming’ ceremonies,” said a Christian leader.

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