From Daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji,  May 17: Goa government's cabinet decision seeking to stop release of the Da Vinci Code movie or censor it, is to appease the voters and taken merely out of political compulsion, stated Goa's leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar.

"I strongly support the Catholics in denouncing the movie…. But I feel a voluntary ban could have been more effective than the compulsory one," Parrikar, who is a BJP leader, stated briefing presspersons on Wednesday afternoon.

The Goa cabinet on Tuesday had resolved to write to the censor board and union information and broadcasting ministry appealing them either to censor or stop release of the controversial movie.

"The Government is trying to show local Catholic population that they care for them. The state government should have protected antique monuments from being stolen from churches and chapels, if they were really interested in protecting the interests of Catholics in the state," the leader of opposition said.

"Bans don't serve the purpose.. If it is banned, it will be available on CDs and people would be more curious to watch it because of the controversy surrounding it," Parrikar said.