In an effort to make the much-touted Ghar Vaapasi (homecoming) programme -- for which the outfit is planning to bring a team of journalists from far away Delhi -- a success, the Ashram is criss-crossing tribal hamlets to rope in potential reconverts. But they are not finding enough Christians to meet the target.

The Ashram activists, helped by members of other Sangh Parivar outfits, are visiting every village which has a church. Yet the target is remote: District officials say there are just 3,000 Christians in this Madhya Pradesh district, 150 km from Jabalpur.

So the form is distributed among tribals, some of them Christians and most of them Hindus, and thumb impressions taken. Some say even by force.

The Ashram has printed a reconversion form which is supposed to be filledup and signed by Christians who want to reconvert. In reality, the form is filled up by the Ashram worker and the tribal who does not know what it is all about puts his thumb impression.

The form (in Hindi) says: ``I consider Sanatan Hindu Dharam the greatest religion. My ancestors or I were converted to another religion owing to ignorance. Now I swear by God to return to my original religion along with my family without any greed. The details of my family members follow:''

The Ashram activists reach the tribal villages, distribute old clothes for the children and then in presence of the village pradhans fill the forms on their own and take the villagers' thumb impression. Several villagers told The Indian Express that green leaves were rubbed on their thumb, if the ink was not available.

Says Baisakhu, 70, who belongs to the Baigha tribe: ``On January 26, a carful of persons came to our village Banjari. They gave us clothes for the children. They asked me about my religion. I said I am a Hindu.But still they asked my name and my family members and filled a form.'' In Banjari, Nani shows us the woolens that she got. The villagers say it was her husband who helped the Vanvasis fill up the forms.

Ratia Bai of the same village adds: ``They also told us `don't hesitate to take these clothes, as it is given by the Congress government. They said they will send a bus on February 14 for us to attend a function where blankets will be distributed and goddess Gayatri will be worshipped.'' She too is a Hindu.

In Banjari village, only five out of the 50 families are Christians. But they got the forms filled by each family. At neighboring Kudwari, they tried to rope in the pradhan and called a panchayat. The villagers were told to ``return home'' as the foreign religion is killing the Hindu culture. They filled the forms and took the villagers' thumb impressions.

Still afraid that the target will not be reached, the Ashram has clubbed their reconversion mela with a free eye check-up camp on Shivratri. Sincethe district has no eye specialist, lots of tribals are expected to turn up for the camp. Also, the Ashram which runs 35 schools in the districts has organised a function for children for which even their parents have been invited. And the venue of the medical camp, the children's function and the reconversion mela are the same.

VHP's dharampracharak of this district, R K Soni said that the Vanvasis were not forcing anyone for reconversion. ``We are welcoming those who are willing to return to Hinduism,'' he says.

District Collector B L Thakur says: ``We are expecting a gathering of 8,000 people. I don't think there is any law and order problem here so far.''

But Father M V George, 65, a missionary in Duhania, says things are not as peaceful as they are made out to be.

He has reported to the police that some unidentified people have threatened to kill him. Father George says: ``When I was away in Mandla yesterday, some people came to the village and told the residents that Father George will beshot dead.''