The Archdiocese of Goa on Saturday appeared to defend a priest whose remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others had triggered a row and invited scrutiny by the Election Commission.

In a release issued on Saturday, the church said: “In the light of recent controversies, and the selective treatment meted out, the Council for Social Justice and Peace wants to clarify that it is customary and traditional in the Catholic Church to denounce evil and promote good values in society.”

“Priests are bound to conscientise the laity and to help it interpret the socio-political realities of the day, subject, of course to the restrictions laid down by the law,” it added.

A row had erupted after a video of the speech made by the priest, Concessao D’Silva, had surfaced, in which he is seen criticising the BJP, its president Amit Shah, the Prime Minister and late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

D’Silva had apologised to the Election Commission after it ordered an inquiry. He had made the statement while delivering a sermon in a church.