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Bhubaneswar: Three days after the Beltikri shelter home shame came to fore, the BJP Mahila Morcha today leveled religious conversion charges against Good News India, the NGO which runs the Dream Center Shelter Home.

President of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Prabhati Parida said the shelter homes change religion of inmates especially the boys and girls from the tribal community.

Parida further alleged, "Not only are girls being sexually abused in these shelter homes, young boys are also victims in the hands of sexual predators. Foreigners used to visit the shelter home and torture children. Besides, some of them were even trafficked to abroad," she alleged.

Moreover, the Mahila Morcha chief stated that the members of the board of the shelter homes are foreigners as its head office is in USA.

Parida said the State government had only given recognition to the Nandapur shelter home in Bhadrak but the Minister is now denying grant of recognition. "The Women and Child Development minister Prafulla Samal should own up the responsibility and immediately resign on moral grounds," she added.

The BJP fact-finding team will take stock of the situation at the 26 shelter homes run by the Good News India NGO, she said.

On the other hand, Odisha DGP RP Sharma has directed SPs of all districts to submit a report on the number of registered and unregistered shelter homes running in each district along with details on whether any illegal activity is being carried out in these shelter homes.

Meanwhile, the minister said raids are being conducted at different shelter homes of the organisation. Besides, the collectors have been asked to shift inmates from shelter homes if they find any deviation.

A team comprising Bhadrak Sub-Collector Sucharu Bala and District Welfare Committee conducted raids at the Nandapur Shelter Home and quizzed the inmates. Sources said 164 inmates including 79 girls are staying at the Nandapur Shelter home.

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