The Congress on Friday condemned the FIR filed against a Goa Church wing and an NGO over the presence of children at anti-CAA protest, terming it an "assault on a religious institution".
The Goa police's women and child protection unit on Thursday filed an FIR against Council for Social Justice and Peace (Goa Church's wing) and National Human Rights Organisation (Goa Chapter) for using children to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at a rally in Margao on January 24.
"The politically dictated FIR by the Goa Police is not only an attack on freedom of expression and speech, but also a direct assault on a religious institution," Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar said.
Talking to reporters here, Chodankar accused the BJP- led state government of creating "fear psychosis" among the anti-CAA protesters, who have been fighting to save the Constitution.
The FIR was completely "politically dictated" by BJP leaders to suppress the voice of masses, he said.
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"When the BJP realised that people are against its ulterior motive of passing CAA, they are resorting to such actions," the Congress leader alleged.
The police has kept several complaints against corruption in the state in cold storage, while it was quick to file an FIR in frivolous and mischievous complaint by an NGO against a Goa Church body, he alleged.
Speaking about the issue, BJP's Goa general secretary and former MP Narendra Sawaikar said, "There is no point in dragging children on the street for this issue. The person who has filed the complaint must have found something unconvincing in the rally," he said.
Citizens have the right to agitate but it should be for a genuine cause and students from school should not be brought on the streets, he said.
"It has happened even in Delhi. Where is this heading? Why are we trying to pollute minds of children?" he questioned.
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