Talking to Express Newsline, Pastor Matthews Cherian of the AMM said his organisation was taking legal advice and would file a suit in connection with the incident.

Cherian said that his organisation had been active in Gujarat since 1965 but this was the first such experience it had undergone. Stating that he was greatly upset by the last week's happenings, he said that he was ready to talk to Hindu leaders over the matter and reply to their questions.

The incident has struck a chord with other leaders of the community in Vadodara as well. Principal of Hill Memorial High School Samuel Suwati said: ``We are deeply grieved. Innocent persons were attacked and they were forcibly removed from the place''.

Responding to VHP allegations that Hindu tribals had been brought to the convention for conversion to Christianity, he said: ``If people are willing to become Christians who can stop them''?

Fr. M Jacob of the Marthoma Church said some groups were trying to spread communal hatred all over India, particularly Gujarat, by attacking members of other religious groups. ``I strongly condemn such incidents'', he said in reference to the recent incident.

Calling for a united stand by the community leaders, Rev P T Christian of the Centenary Methodist Church pointed out that Indians had the right to profess and preach the religion of their choice.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said Reverend N. Rajwadi of the Church of North India, had no right to take the law into its own hands. ``If the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had any complaint regarding the convention it should have approached the police, who would have taken appropriate action'', he added.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal leader Neeraj Jain, however, said he had evidence that the convention intended to convert tribals. ``We have in our possession a baptism certificate of the Filadelfia Fellowship Church of India, Udaipur, which had been brought by the missionaries of Rajasthan. Why else would they bring such a document if not for conversion?'', he asked.

He said that he was not opposed to the religious function being held by any community but would oppose all those activities intended for conversion of Hindus.

Meanwhile, Additional Police Commissioner M K Tandon said that an inquiry was still on into October 29 incident.