19 Jan 2023  |   07:10am IST

Govt plans to amend Devasthan Act to regularise mazania affairs

The amendments will be introduced during the next Assembly session; aim is to help resolve disputes between devotees and mazania pertaining to celebration of religious festivals

Team Herald

PANJIM: Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserratte on Wednesday informed the House that necessary amendments to the Devasthan Regulation Act, 1933, would be made to regularise the affairs of mazanias and Devasthans. 

Monserrate said that the government will introduce amendments to the 

Devasthan Regulation Act 1933 in the next Assembly session. 

The Minister said that the government will also examine the possibilities of instructing District Magistrates / Mamlatdars to appoint Receivers to conduct religious festivities whenever there is a dispute raised by the concerned mazania (body of the mahajans or administrators of temples) over celebration of religious festivities, until the same is decided by the Civil Court. 

He said that there are instances of infighting among the mazania,  particularly over financial matters. 

“Instances have also come to the notice of the government that there are litigations between mazanias and other community members in respect of claiming right as mazania over the temples / Devasthan, which creates disturbance of peace resulting in a law-and-order situation during celebration of religious festivals such as Zatra and others,” said the Minister. Monserrate was responding to the calling attention motion moved by BJP MLA Premendra Shet pointing out how the traditional celebration of temples are interrupted and disturbed due to the infighting between Devasthan and mazania.