Rejecting the opposition demand for a CBI probe into communal violence in Kandhamal, Orissa government on Tuesday alleged that it was being politically used by ruling Congress at the Centre. "There is no point in handing over the Kandhamal incident to CBI because it was being politically used by Congress," Orissa's Excise Minister Debi Prasad Mishra told reporters in Bhubaneswar.

"CBI had lost its credibility by giving clean chit to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors case," he charged.

Claiming Orissa police was effectively investigating into the killing of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati and communal violence thereafter, the minister alleged CBI adopted "soft" attitude towards Quattrocchi after the UPA government came to power in 2004.

Denouncing Union Minister Ajay Maken's claim that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik lacks control over administration in checking communal riots in Kandhamal, the minister asked the Congress not to indulge in blame game as it could expose the party's role in anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984.

"Congress should remember that people living in glass chambers should not throw stones at others," he said.

Quoting media reports, Mishra said "one bride is bunrt in every 12 hours and a woman is raped every 30 minutes in Delhi."

"Delhi and Hyderabad, both Congress ruled cities, have reported high rate of crimes against women," he alleged.