As many as 27 Hindus from five families in Kushinagar reportedly converted to Christianity on Saturday.

The incident follows the reconversion of some Muslims to Hinduism in ‘ghar wapasi’ events organised by a right-wing organisation in Agra.

The ‘converted’ villagers in Kushinagar were reportedly in touch with some Christian missionaries from Bihar.

Christian mission: A church, still being built, in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district. Around 27 people of Gangua-Mathia village in the district were found worshipping Jesus Christ in a house

According to the village headman, a villager called Dilip Gupta motivated others to convert to Christianity.

The Kushinagar incident came to light on Sunday when 27 people from Gangua-Mathia village were found worshipping Jesus Christ in a house.

The locality is about 50km from Gorakshnath Mutt where Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath, is a mahant.

The area is Adityanath’s stronghold. Not surprisingly, on Sunday evening about a dozen supporters of Adityanath rushed to the village after learning of the conversion.

However, the ‘converted’ people got a tip-off and escaped the wrath of Adityanath’s followers.

Adityanath had recently said events have been planned for December 25 in Aligarh, during which Muslims and Christians will be re-converted as Hindus.

According to a villager in Kushinagar, Christian missionaries from Betiah and Narkatiyaganj in Bihar used to visit the house of villager Dilip Gupta.

“Earlier, only Dilip used to attend their functions in Betiah and Narkatiyaganj. We knew that he was attracted to Christianity. But recently more villagers started going to Bihar along with Dilip to meet the missionaries,” a woman from the village told Mail Today.

“They would stay away from the village for many days. We saw them on Saturday performing some rituals in presence of a missionary. But we didn't know what exactly they were doing.

"On Sunday, we heard them singing a song in Dilip’s house. When we went there, we saw a Bible in their hand and a small statue of Jesus Christ in front of them,” she added.

Those with Dilip in the house included Prabhu Prajapati, Kishan Gupta, Malti Gupta and Ramawati Gupta.

On Sunday night members of Adityanath’s Hindu Yuva Vahini visited the village and looked for the ‘converted’ people, she said.

Sub-divisional magistrate Sri Prakash Shukla, who rushed to the village, said: “We have received complaints of religious conversion in the village. The matter is under probe.”

However, Kushinagar district magistrate Lokesh M. said: “They were converted to Christianity in Mumbai last year. It is not a new incident.”

Village headman Ajay Kharwar said: “Dilip used to live in Mumbai till last year. He was in touch with some missionaries. But it appears that he recently motivated four families and they all got converted to Christianity.

"I came to know about it on Sunday when they were performing some rituals, and informed the administration about it. Due to tension in the village on Sunday, they escaped from their houses in the night.”

Conversion row rocks Parliament

Rejecting the BJP-led Government’s offer to hold a debate in Parliament over alleged religious conversions, the Opposition on Monday disrupted the proceedings, demanding an assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that incidents that disturb communal harmony would be stopped.

The Opposition made the proposed “ghar wapasi (return home)” programme in Aligarh as the basis to push the Government on the back foot.

'Disruption': The Opposition sought the Prime Minister's assurance that incidents that disturb communal harmony, such as 'forced conversions', will be tackled

The Government has so far adopted a tough stance and challenged the Opposition to support an anti-conversion legislation.

“The Opposition can take the decision... There is no difference in opinion that such incidents (forced conversions) should be stopped.

"Does the Opposition want a ban on conversions or forced conversions?” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked.

The Opposition led by the Congress rejected the Government’s proposal.

“We have given a notice to suspend the Question Hour.

"A serious situation is prevailing in the country. An outfit that calls itself a social organisation has launched a controversial programme on ‘ghar wapsi’,” said Congress MP Anand Sharma.

The other Opposition parties also joined the Congress even as Chairman M. Hamid Ansari rejected the adjournment motion.

“The incidents violate the Constitution, and people believe that the ruling party is doing this,” Sharma alleged.

To counter his allegations, Jaitley said the Opposition was not interested in a debate, but disruptions.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said a mere discussion was not enough.

“A discussion should be followed by actions,” he said.

The Opposition members also refused to hear a reply from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue.