Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, he said ``the unprecedented level of atrocities'' had erupted during Keshubhai Patel's second stint in office because ``for the first time, the culprits were assured of protection not only in the State, but also at the national level''.

On the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal's dissociating themselves from the attacks and from the Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), allegedly directly involved in the attacks, Gowda said, ``The police have registered cases. It is the duty of the administration to check their antecedents and if necessary ban those organisations involved''.

Gowda added that in practically all attacks, persons from outside the district were involved. Asked who was to blame, he said, ``Isn't Advaniji going to get IB reports as to who the members of the HJM are ?''

Gowda was accompanied by senior Janata Dal national leader Ram Vilas Paswan on his trip to the Dangs. Paswan stated that while there was a deep-rooted conspiracy and that culprits were both shielded and supported by the government, it was also a ploy to put the more basic issues of misgovernance and prices on the backburner. ``But in no way will we allow these things to continue,'' he stated.

Challenging the central government on the issue, Gowda said, ``If the government means business, it not only needs to take strict action against such unprovoked hooliganism, it should also take steps to restore the confidence of the minorities.'' He added that he did not understand why educational institutions were ransacked and said that the missionaries had been doing an excellent job in the tribal district as far as education and medical aid were concerned.

Gowda expressed the fear that if such attacks were not checked in time, they could spread to other places outside the state as well.

In a veiled reference to the use of Article 356 in the state, Gowda said that what more evidence of gross mishandling by the state government was required when both the prime minister and the home minister of the country have expressed concern over the situation in the state.