Attacks on religious structures: Sardesai against CBI probe

Goa Agriculture minister Vijay Sardesai today said he is not in favour of a CBI investigation into the recent incidents of desecration of religious symbols and structures in Goa.
"I don't agree that the cases should be handed over to the CBI. When you hand over such an investigation to the CBI, it means you don't have faith in local police," Sardesai of Goa Forward Party (GFP), which is one of the alliance partners in the BJP-led state government, told reporters here.
"I have full faith in Goa police which has the capability to investigate and arrest the criminals, who are trying to create communal disharmony in the state," he said.

BJP leader and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo besides Opposition Congress had demanded a CBI probe into a spate of desecrations in Goa since the beginning of this month.
Sardesai alleged that these attacks are being carried out with a specific intention to create disharmony in the society.
"It should be treated as an act of terror," he said.

"The Goa government has rightly handed over these cases to the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) which is working with the local police (to nab the culprits)," he claimed.
According to police, over 50 gravestones were destroyed in South Goa's Curchorem village on Sunday night by unidentified persons.

Also, since July 1, nine Holy crosses and a temple have been defiled in South Goa.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently given strict instructions to the police to increase patrolling around sensitive places in the state.
Two platoons of India Reserve Battalion were also deployed in South Goa to help local police in patrolling susceptible areas.
Local police stations were also asked to form Special Investigation Teams (SIT).