Da Vinci Code Starts Indian Riots

Da Vinci Code Sparks Indian Riots.Controversial new movie adaptation THE DA VINCI CODE has prompted religious protests in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay).Hundreds of Catholic stalwarts yesterday (11MAY06) gathered outside a convent school in the city in a bid to stop the film's release next week (19MAY06), blasting it as an attack on their faith.Members of the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) have taken offence to the movie's depiction of Catholic group Opus Dei as corrupt, out-dated and at the centre of a cover-up of the truth about Jesus Christ.CSF general secretary JOSEPH DIAS says, "Activists will go on a fast unto death if the government fails to take action against anti-Christian movies."You can't make fiction on a religious figure. Tempers are already running quite high and there's no way of saying what could happen if the movie is released."In a statement, the group added: "The Da Vinci Code is offensive as it hit certain basic foundations of the religion."The protest is the second in a week by the CSF after Tuesday (09MAY06) saw approximately one hundred demonstrators take to the streets outside a Mumbai church and burn copies of the DAN BROWN novel.