Large groups of Christians defied prohibitory orders on Monday in this city, 350 km from Bangalore, and clashed with police as protests against attacks on churches in the state turned violent.
This happened even as a top Christian leader sought protection from the Centre for churches in the BJP-ruled state.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, heading the first BJP government in a southern state, tried to play a balancing act. In Bangalore, PTI quoted him as saying that Christian missionaries should not conduct forcible conversion.
“There is no room for forcible conversion in democracy. No one should indulge in it,” he said.
Hours later, on an assessment trip to Mangalore, he said action would be taken against anyone who tries to create unrest. "We will not allow anyone to take law into their hands. Let them (Hindu groups) give us information about conversions… and leave it to our policemen," he said.
In all, 53 Bajrang Dal activists were arrested in Mangalore, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts for carrying out attacks on churches and prayers halls on Sunday.
A.M. Prasad, Inspector General of Police, said there will be more arrests.
Dozens of people, including some policemen, were injured in Monday's clashes.
Police had to burst teargas shells and lathicharge protesters as they started pelting them with stones near churches in Ullal and Mangalore.
Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D'Souza, the Bishop of Mangalore Diocese (which has about 400,000 members), broke his silence to condemn the attacks on Sunday.
"Everyone has the right to live their lives according to their beliefs and the Catholic church recognises this right," he told HT. "Today, Bajrang Dal is destroying all the Catholic churches in the name of conversion. But, this is not true."
The Bishop said he has written to the Centre, the Human Rights' Commission as well as the Minorities' Commission about the attacks on churches in the region.
The attacks, according to sources in the Diocese, have been triggered by literature found by Bajrang Dal activists among members of The New Life Fellowship sect of The Pentecost Mission. The booklet, titled "Sathya Darshini", and printed in Hyderabad, contained derogatory references to Hindu gods.