In a massive show of strength, several Hindutva organisations under the banner of Sakal Hindu Samaj and right-wing political parties came together in Mumbai to demand a ban on what they described as 'love jihad' and 'land jihad'.
Protestors urged the Centre and state governments to come out with strong anti-conversion laws and crackdown on land grabbing in the name of religion.
Top Maharashtra BJP leaders led by Mumbai unit president Ashish Shelar and members of Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena joined the 'Hindu Jan Akrosh morcha' from Shivaji Park in Dadar to Kamgar Maidan in Prabhadevi.
More than two dozen such rallies have been organised in various cities of Maharashtra over the past few months and this is the first time a mega-morcha was held in Mumbai, the state capital and financial hub of India.
Activists from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) took part in the rally. Protesters marched with saffron flags as they walked around three to four km amid tight security arrangements and traffic regulations.
MLC Pravin Darekar, MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar and Nitesh Rane, senior BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya, Chitra Wagh and Kripashankar Singh besides several other leaders were part of the rally.
"The issues of Hindu parivar are our issues. We have come here to protest love jihad and land jihad. Whenever time comes, the government would do the needful but as citizens, we have expressed our feelings,” Shelar said.
Asked about the rally, NCP MP Supriya Sule said, “I understand what is love. I understand what is jihad, but can you explain to me what is love jihad?"