Will take up Delhi church attack issue with Rajnath Singh: Manohar Parrikar

PANAJI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today condemned the incident of desecration of a Delhi church, which has raised concerns among members of minority community, saying he will personally meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and request him to bring the culprits to book.

He also asserted that the name of BJP should not be dragged in such cases.

"I condemn the recent desecration of a church in Delhi. I will meet the Union Home Minister the day after tomorrow when I will be in Delhi, requesting him that the culprits be brought to book," Parrikar told PTI after a meeting with the delegation of Catholics at his office here this evening.

"I am going to meet the Home Minister personally. I feel that the population, which is in minority, should feel secure," he said.

Parrikar said he would also take up the matter with Delhi Police Commissioner and ask him to expedite the probe.

He, however, refused to assure anything on the police action against the accused.

"The incident should not be probed as a case of burglary, as it is beyond that," he said.

Members of the delegation also expressed their concerns about the security of the minority communities in the country and said, such attacks could be repeated in states like Goa.

Responding to it, Parrikar said what happened in Delhi was wrong. He also said that "BJP should not be politically blamed for such incidents."

Reacting to apprehensions expressed over the programmes like 'ghar wapsi', the Minister said such incidents should be tackled by the state governments.

"These incidents have happened in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and there is no BJP government in those states. What stops the respective government's from taking action?" he said.

In fifth such incident in the national capital since November 2014, a church in South Delhi's Vasant Kunj area was allegedly vandalised on February 2.