Team Goemakrponn
MADKAI: The ongoing tension at Shree Navdurga Devasthan Madkai escalated on Monday after the temple purohit was assaulted by some villagers over the issue of offerings to the goddess.
According to the temple purohits, the villagers objected to the act of people offerings to the purohit, which was countered by them.
The conflict took place just days after High Court upheld temple Mahajan’s plea. The said incident has gone viral across social media in which villagers and temple puroshit are seening fighting.
While quashing the trial court order, wherein the application under order VII Rule 11 of CPC filed by the Mahajans seeking rejection of plaint, was dismissed by the trial court, the High Court allowed Mahajans’ Civil Revision application.
There was often clashes on the issue, among both parties. Both Mahajans and villagers claimed their right over temple and idol. The villagers claimed that it is a public temple while Mahajans said it is their private temple.
As the controversy dragged on, later villagers launched an agitation, later formed Shri Devi Navadurga Pratishtan Trust and filed a petition in District and Sessions Court Ponda asking for granting a stay to the idol replacement and decide whether temple is public or private, said Shailendra Panjikar President of Shri Devi Navadurga Pratishtan Trust.
It may be recalled that in 2016 Shri Devi Navadurga Prathishtan Trust Madkai had filed a suit in Court opposing the decision of Navadurga Santhan Committee to replace the existing old idol and also to decide whether the temple is public or private.
It may be recalled that in 2016 the decision was taken by Navadurga Sansthan Committee (Mahajans) to replace old idol of goddess Navadurga citing some cracks developed on idol, however the villagers had strongly objected to idol replacement.
The suit was filed for declaration that the Navadurga temple should be declared as public temple and permanent injunction restraining the Mazania from changing the idol.
“The Temple/Devasthan is admittedly governed by the Devasthan Regulations which are infact holding the field in Goa and said Devasthan Regulations clearly provide that there has to be a Committee of the Mahajans who will look after the entire administration for the Temple.
The respondents are not at all Mahajan but some of villagers who formed the Trust and thereafter filed a suit,” he submitted to the Bench of Justice Bharat Deshpande.
