Bihar: Jitan Ram Manjhi orders probe into alleged conversion

GAYA: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today ordered a probe into the alleged conversion of over 60 persons, belonging to the scheduled caste, to Christianity on the occasion of Christmas at a village in Bihar's Gaya district.

The conversion took place at Mahadalit (SC) Tola (locality) of Atia village in the district.

"I have come to know about the incident and instructed the district magistrate to probe it. The conversion could be due to lack of awareness, and somewhere it seems that money or education was used to lure the people. These things will become clear in the probe and we will take action against the guilty," Manjhi said.

The chief minister, who was at his ancestral village of Mahkaar in Gaya district when the conversion occurred, said he did not consider it bad if anybody left his religion willingly and accepted another, but if this was done out of fear or inducement then it was wrong.

The chief minister, who belongs to Mahadalit (SC) community, also appealed to the people to rise above religion and caste and work for the development of the state.