Team Herald
BAINA: The demolition of Basaveshwara Temple and Laxmi Temple at Baina has left the local residents and other devotees shocked, upset and weeping.
These two temples were amongst 54 structures that were demolished by the Mormugao Municipal Council on Tuesday.
Though the residents were under severe mental pain due to the demolition of their structures, they were more pained at seeing their place of worship demolished.
According to locals, the Basaveshwara temple and Laxmi temple are important landmarks in Baina and they were built some four decades ago.
Initially, Basaveshwara Temple was confined in a small place, but later was enlarged when the locals received contribution from political leaders.
“We got a fully concrete structure for Basaveshwara Temple. While the first slab for this temple was funded by former Mormugao MLA Shaikh Hassan, the temple was extended towards front side after incumbent MLA Milind Naik funded the concrete slab during his previous tenure,” said Siddaram Sindigiri, committee member of Basaveshwara Temple Baina.
He said that though the residents were fully aware of the demolition of their houses, but they were clueless that MMC had also listed out the temples for demolition. The temples were demolished without prior notice to the temple committee members.
“It was more painful than anything for us to see our temples getting bulldozed. No one amongst us came forward or even obstructed when the administration was bulldozing our homes but the temple which was sign of our faith and had sentiments attached with it was demolished without giving prior notice,” Sindigiri said with full of tears in eyes.
While two JCBs were seen bulldozing Basaveshwara Temple, another team of demolition squad marched on the other side of the property and started with the demolition of Laxmi temple, keeping all temple items under the sky and locals weeping with anger and pain.
