By IANS
Bangalore : It was a day of rallies and traffic jams in Bangalore’s central business district Saturday.
Hundreds of Christians led by former top cop and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP H.T. Sangliana marched to Raj Bhavan, the governor’s residence, protesting what they called increasing attacks on their community in Karnataka.
A large number of Hindus under the banner of Hindu Sena held a march nearby at the same time opposing conversion activities by Christian missionaries in the state.
A few km away, a small group of people belonging to the Forum for Communal Amity sat in protest against communalisation of politics and the Ram Sethu issue.
The rallies by Christians and Hindus started at 10 a.m., the peak time for office hour traffic. Vehicular movement was disrupted at several places for about two hours, police said.
However, both the rallies passed off peacefully. Though, the Hindu group was seen arguing with the police when they were prevented from marching towards the area where Sangliana’s group was agitating.
Sangliana, a former city police commissioner, represents the Bangalore north Lok Sabha constituency.
He wanted the police to take effective steps to prevent attacks on Christians in the state.
Sangliana said claims of forcible conversion activities by Christians were “bogus and misleading”.
“If concrete evidence about such forcible conversions were submitted, the Christian leaders would take action against those indulging in such activities,” he said.
Speakers at the rival rally organized by the Hindu Sena maintained that Christian missionaries were indulging in conversion activities offering inducements to backward Hindus.
“The government must take strict action to end conversions in the state,” they said.