Panaji, Feb 26 (IANS): The Youth Congress in Goa wants Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to break his silence and lend his voice to the protests against RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's comments against Mother Teresa.

When asked if Gandhi, who is on "leave" according to party officials, should break his silence on Bhagwat's accusation of conversion against Teresa, state Youth Congress president Xavier Filhao said: "Of course".

When asked if he should break his leave and lead the party's charge against the remarks, Filhao said: "He will do it at an appropriate time. Right now he is not available".

Filhao was speaking to reporters in Panaji, shortly before Youth Congress office bearers burnt an effigy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief in the city.

Bhagwat, who was speaking during a function in Bharatpur, Rajasthan Monday, was quoted in the media as saying: "Mother Teresa's service would have been good. But it used to have one objective, to convert the person, who was being served, into a Christian."

The statement has caused a political uproar across the country.