Catholic Association demands white paper on Goa’s law and order, cites child rape casesPanaji: The Catholic Association of Goa (CAG) has demanded a white paper on the state’s law and order situation, particularly the safety of children, following reports of sexual assaults on minors in recent days. It has held govt accountable for the incidents and urged it to treat child protection as an urgent priority.Strongly condemning the recent assaults, the association called on govt to step up efforts to ensure public safety and take visible action against offenders.“These are not isolated tragedies. It is a symptom of a deeper rot. Goa’s social standards are falling and the law-and-order situation grows more alarming with every such incident,” said CAG president Cyril Fernandes.“We are told that Goa is progressing, but a society that cannot protect its smallest and most helpless children is regressing. The growing threat of Goa becoming the rape capital of India should shame every one of us into action,” he added.The association said repeated crimes against women and children point to failures in curbing crime, ensuring effective policing and securing speedy convictions.“Assurances after each tragedy are no longer enough. Goans need visible effective action such as stricter patrolling, fast track trials and zero tolerance for offenders,” it said, adding that silence emboldens offenders and allows predators to act without fear.The CAG urged govt to ensure that the culprits are arrested and punished to the fullest extent of the law, and that the safety of children is made a genuine priority
