Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth, has urged Hindus to contribute at least a rupee a day to a fund for the development of tribal areas — so that illegal conversions can be curbed. People are taking advantage of the poverty and underdevelopment of tribals to wean them away from Hinduism, the seer alleged while addressing the annual function of Ganjam college, 30 km from Berhampur in Orissa on Monday. The Shankaracharya also ridiculed the contention that tribals were not Hindus. Hinduism was the oldest faith in the world, and the time has come its followers to protect it, he said. Deputy Speaker of the Orissa assembly, Ram Chandra Panda also addressed the meeting.