Panaji, Feb 21 (IANS): South Goa Congress MP Francisco Sardinha on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of cases registered against ‘mob’ involved in attacking a BJP minister.

On Tuesday, the Goa Police had registered a case against a ‘mob’ for allegedly rioting and creating unlawful assembly, wherein Goa’s Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai was attacked with stones.

Phal Dessai was attacked while he was returning after inaugurating the statue of Shivaji at Sao Joao De Areal village in South Goa.

“One can’t take law in their hands. The minister inaugurated the statue. They should have taken permission to install the statue. It should have been brought to the notice of villagers before installing it and should have told the importance of Shivaji,” Sardinha said during a press conference in Margao.

He said that they should have told villagers that it is being installed out of respect to Shivaji. “Whatever happened has happened. Now the government should immediately withdraw the cases filed against people by warning them that they should not indulge in such acts again,” Sardinha said.

He said that Shivaji fought against foreign forces for the betterment of people.

“I feel sad by what happened during the installation of the statue,” the Congress leader said.

Maina Curtorim Police has registered cases against people for rioting and creating unlawful assembly.

Phal Dessai has said that a mob of around 200 to 300 people attacked. “I did not sustain any severe injury, but I was hit by a stone on my head,” he said.

Locals of the area have complained that the statue was illegally installed without taking permission from the local panchayat.