PANJIM/PONDA: The High Court of Bombay at Goa, quashing the status quo of the District Court over the Navdurga temple at Marcaim idol replacement, has sought an undertaking from the temple committee that they will not replace the idol for 30 days. The HC also directed the District Court to rehear the petition challenging the idol replacement by the pratisthan within 30 days.
Based on the undertaking from the temple committee the HC quashed the District Court’s order of Feb 23 that granted ex-parte interim relief.
Last Tuesday the District Court at Ponda had ordered a status quo based on the petition filed by the prathishan of Navdurga temple against the Mahajans heading the temple committee.
The Mahajans on Wednesday approached the HC and got an ex-parte stay on Ponda court’s order.
However, on Thursday the HC heard the matter and directed the District Court to rehear the petition and dispose it within 30 days. The hearing has been fixed on March 6 at the Ponda district court.
Advocate Subodh Kantak represented the temple committee and advocate Amrut Kansar represented the Prathishan in the HC.
Marcaim villagers, who are non-mahajans, opposed the replacement of the Navdurga idol that the temple committee proposed claiming that the idol has deteriorated in condition. The protesting villagers stated that the idol could be restored with chemical treatment.
Meanwhile, the locals who had been camping at the temple to protect the idol relaxed on Thursday on learning of the undertaking given by the Mahajans. They said the goddess will give them justice and offered prayers till late at night.
