The conversion of about 1,000 members of low caste Hindu community to Christianity in Bahraich district over the weekend has kicked up a political storm.
The BJP has not only set up a panel, with former MP Satyadeo Singh as its head, to probe the conversions even as the district magistrate of Bahraich denies that any conversions, forced or wilful, have taken place.
About 1,000 members of the Ghumantu Mahayut community converted to Christianity at a function in Bahraich last week. Bishop Robert Daniel of Punjab supervised the conversion process and gave a “holy cross” to each of the converts.
Talking to the local reporters, the newly-converted members said that they had opted to become Christians since the upper caste Hindus did not allow them to worship in local temples.
“We are poor and cannot even earn a square meal for our families. Not a single Hindu organisation has come forward to help us but now the local Christians are ready to extend all help to us and we are even being welcomed into the church,” they said.