PANAJI - Goa Director General of Police Bhimsain Bassi’s remark that visiting casinos was like going to temples and churches was “blasphemous” and “shocking”, the Roman Catholic church said Wednesday.

“I was shocked to see the statement coming from a person of that standing, who is supposed to be the guardian of law and order,” Francisco Caldeira, a church spokesperson, told IANS.

Caldeira said it was “blasphemous to compare casinos with temples and churches”, adding that perhaps Bassi did not know the difference between religion and casinos.

Bassi had Monday likened visiting casinos to going to temples and churches.

He was justifying the controversial partying by seven senior police officials who locked themselves up in a bar room to avoid journalists who were invited on board for a press conference. The incident took place aboard an offshore casino MV Casino Royale Nov 12.

But Superintendent of Police Bosco George has said that the police top brass was supportive of their offshore casino visit and that it were the journalists who were “drinking, eating and hogging” on the casino vessel.

“I think they (superiors) are wholly supportive of our action… My DGP has already said whether you go to a temple, church, restaurant or casino… are these illegal places?” George asked late Tuesday.

Bassi’s comment attracted a lot of flak, with opposition leader Manohar Parrikar demanding that he be removed from office for making “insensitive” and “unbecoming” remarks.