The two joint secretaries of the VHP's Bihar unit, Pramod Kumar Mishra and Virendra Kumar Sinha, who were present on the occasion, said that a special Puja was organised to purify the Tribals, mostly women and children belonging to about 70 families of Karaikela, Chakradharpur and Bandgaon villages.

Holy water and prasad were offered to them before initiating them into Hindu religion, they said adding that more Christians could not turn up at the function but for an ongoing tribal festival.

Speaking on the occasion, the Shankaracharya criticised the missionaries for what he alleged misusing World Bank funds meant for eradicating poverty in the country, they said.

The Shankaracharya said that more funds are tobe released by the world bank in the next one and a half years. He said he will meet WB officials in Delhi next month and take up the issue of misusing of funds with them.