Tribal Christians in Dangs district, Gujarat, India are being encouraged to “reconvert” to Hinduism by speakers at the Shabri Kumbh “reawakening” event.

|TOP|Speakers, aside from calling for the reconversion of Christians, have called upon the Indian government to enact an anti-conversion law across the nation, reports Compass Direct.

Despite fears that the event could lead to violence and attempts to reconvert tribal Christians; as yet no such events have taken place. This has been attributed to the heavy presence of police and paramilitaries in the area.

It has been estimated by organisers that up to 300,000 Hindus attended some parts of the three day event. Around 100,000 attended the first day.

The opening speech of Morari Bapu, a popular Hindu cleric from Gujarat, spoke of his desire not to convert people, but to “revive Hinduism”.

Bapu claimed that tribal Christians reconverting was not conversion, but a homecoming to Hinduism. He called upon tribal Christians to reconvert to Hinduism later in his speech, reports Compass Direct.

The general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council), Praveen Togadia said that the VHP would no longer tolerate the conversion of tribal peoples to Christianity, claiming it was part of a global conspiracy to abolish Hinduism.

Togadia also spoke of the growth of Hinduism outside India, claiming that if it continues to grow at its current pace in the west, then the Vatican would one day be Hindu.

|AD|When the event ended on 13th February, the organisers passed a resolution calling for a nationwide anti-conversion law to be enacted by the government.

According to Compass Direct a Gujarati police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the local people of the Dangs were unhappy about the event.

He claimed: “Most residents stayed in their homes and did not take part... Most of the Dangs people who did go to the rally were the poorest tribals who were paid off by the organisers, who offered free food and transport.”

The event was held on a six-acre stretch of land with the Shabri Mata temple (built especially for the event) on one side and a newly-created sacred spring, the Pampa Sarovar, on the other. The crowd moved continually between the two landmarks, many people believing a dip in the Sarovar would bring forgiveness of their sins.

Subri village, about 21 miles from Awah township, played host to the main meetings of the event.

According to Compass Direct, the meetings were used by members of the VHP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to shout slogans calling upon Hindus to take up arms against Christians.

There was also anti-Christian literature being displayed at some of the bookstalls near the Pampa Sarovar, including such titles as (translated) “Hidden Schemes of Christian Missionaries” and “After Dangs”.

Churches and temples in the area were guarded by riot police, although the majority of Christians decided to stay indoors for fear of an outbreak of violence.

One of the key Christian leaders in Gujarat, the Reverend Paul Jevasingh, spoke of how he had visited all the villages in the vicinity of the Hindu rally but had found no evidence of attacks or reconversions in the area.

He said: “When I visited the rally I noticed that most people were from outside Dangs district...They were mainly rural and illiterate people who would be easily swayed by the speakers.”, reports Compass Direct.

The Reverend had feared that there would be attacks on the Christian minority in Dangs by Hindus remaining in the area after the rally. As of yet however there has been no reported violence.