A radical Hindu group called Friday for (he formation of armed resistance groups to counter the twin threats of Christian missionaries and Pakistani intelligence operatives in northeast India.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) said Hindus in the region were threatened by an influx of Bangladeshi migrants, militant groups backed by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). and the spread of Christian missionaries.

"It his high time for the Hindus to irm themselves in self-defence ’ against the evil designs of the ISI and the Church", VHP president Ashok Singhal told journalists in Silchar. 340 km south of the Assam state capital Guwahati.

The VHP leader claimed that alleged intimidation by ISI operatives and persecution by missionaries in the predominantly Christian northeastern stall's had forced some 1.57 million Hindus to leave the region out of fear and settle elsewhere in India.

'The demographic profile of the northeastern states has been altered with (he influx of migrants from Bangladesh, besides both the church and (he ISI aiding and abetting secessionist militancy in the region,'Singhal said.

More than 30 percent of the total 30 million population in the seven northeastern states are Christians.

"The northeast could become another Kashmir or Chechnya if harsh action against the militantchurch nexus is not taken immediately", Singhal said.