New Delhi (AsiaNews) – A wave of protests and violent actions by Hindu nationalist groups is sweeping the country against anyone accused of violating India’s moral codes. Richard Gere kissing Shilpa Shetty is but the latest, high-profile, case.

Some 40 members of the Hindu Rashtra Sena, a fringe Hindu group, waving triangular saffron flags and wielding sledgehammers and iron-rods vandalised the Star News’ Mumbai office on Monday. They accuse the TV broadcaster of reporting the sinful story of a 13-year Hindu girl ‘abducted’ by her 23-year-old Muslim boyfriend from Surat and brought to Mumbai.

A Star News spokesperson said that “they [the Hindu militants] completely ransacked the office and injured our security personnel and other staff. As a responsible news channel, we have factually reported the situation surrounding the case.”

Police eventually rounded up 18 people allegedly involved in the attack and charged them with rioting and attempted murder.

“Stern action will be taken against the culprits so that nobody dares attack a media office in future,” said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil who later visited the station.

In a statement, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi also condemned the attack on the Star News office, calling it an "assault on democracy,” adding that “the concerned state [. . .] should take firm action and charge the culprits [. . .] immediately.”

The incident produced outrage across the country and in newsrooms.

In a related incident, rightwing Shiv Sena activists disrupted a press conference by Shilpa Shetty, the Indian actress who won Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother reality show, because Hollywood star Richard kissed her on Sunday at an AIDS awareness event in a New Delhi, sparking a furor.

Explicit expression of affection and sexuality in public are seen as a breach of India’s traditional mores.

Hindu nationalist jumped on the issue to protest and some of the protesters shouted “Death to Shilpa Shetty.”

The Shiv Sena called the kissing incident “an attack against Indian morality and culture” and promised to stage demonstrations in many Indian cities.

In Varanasi, Bhopal, Kanpur, Indore, Delhi and Mumbai people burnt effigies of Gere and Shetty. In Mumbai more than 50 activists burnt Ms Shetty’s picture in front of a theatre showing one of her movies.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar also condemned the two actors’ behaviour which he called “foreign to India’s traditions.”

Ms Shetty however got support from noted Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, who appealed to democratic principles and freedom of expression.

Shilpa Shetty gained world-wide notoriety in early 2007 when she was involved in a controversy in Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother as the victim of racist comments by another housemate that led to a wave of sympathy in Britain and India in her favour. Eventually, she was crowned the show’s winner.