Christians in Orissa have said that the campaign to reconvert them to Hinduism is an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to gain votes prior to India's national elections.

More than 200 Christians reconverted to Hinduism at a ceremony in Jharsaguda on 4 March under the gaze of BJP leaders.

"This is a conspiracy for election purposes," said pastor P R Parichha, president for Orissa of the All India Christian Council (AICC). "They are targeting the Christians in the run up to the elections and to consolidate Hindu votes."

Rev Cherian Joseph from the Roman Catholic diocese of Sambalpur in Orissa said the re-conversions were an attempt to "divide communities on religious lines".

The 4 March ceremony made a mockery of Orissa's new anti-conversion laws, Christians added, as they were not registered in advance with a magistrate, as the law requires.

Source: Ecumenical News International