Summary:
Raipur, Sep 28 (PTI) The BJP on Tuesday protested claiming incidents of religious conversion in Chhattisgarh were on the rise under the Congress government, with several workers from the opposition party being detained briefly as they tried to march to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel"s official residence to "gherao" (encircle) it.
The BJP also demanded that three people arrested earlier this month for allegedly manhandling a pastor and two others within the chamber of a senior Purani Basti police station official be released immediately.
The bid to gherao the CM"s house was foiled by police personnel deployed at several locations, mainly near Budha Talab as well as in front of Sapre school ground, while senior BJP leaders, including Raipur MP Sunil Soni and former ministers Brijmohan Agrawal and Rajesh Munat, were stopped en route, an official said.
"Around 700 BJP workers and leaders were formally arrested under preventive measures and later released unconditionally," Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police (Urban) Tarkeshwar Patel told PTI.
Meanwhile, Srichand Sudnarani, chief of BJP"s Raipur unit, claimed 8,000 workers from 16 mandals of the party took part in the protest.
The party"s senior leader Munat said the Baghel government was violating democratic values by openly protecting those involved in conversion activities, adding that his party would continue to protest against "anti national forces" involved in such acts.