Team Herald
PONDA: The members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community from Paaz, Shiroda have called for amending the Portuguese-era Mahajans Act, which they claim prohibits them from entering the temples for worship.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, ST leaders Molu Velip and Ravi Velip alleged that the Mahajans Act is an unjust law as it prohibits them from entering their own temples.
Narrating an incident of obstruction, they claimed that there is temple on a land owned by the ST community members at Paaz, Shiroda where they have been worshipping their Gods for over 200 years. However, two months ago, when they commenced the renovation of the 200-year-old temple, to their surprise, the Mahajans of Shivnath Temple Committee at Shiroda objected to the renovation claiming right over the temple.
“The Mahajans have even filed a suit in the court praying for a stay on the renovation work,” they said.
Emphasising that the land on which the temple exists, belongs to the ST community, the duo said and claimed that the names of 40 members of the community have been recorded in the occupants column of Form I & XIV relating to the said property.
Meanwhile, a large number of ST members were present at the Ponda Civil Court on Wednesday for the hearing on the suit for injunction on the temple renovation. However, it is learnt that the hearing has been adjourned to October 6.
