PANJIM, JAN 6
Around 300 hundred temple committees in Goa have joined hands forcing government to curb increasing instances of temple robberies and idol desecration.
‘Gomantak Mandir and Dharmik Sanstha Mahasangh’ (GMDSM) a joint organisation has been formed by trustees of various temples of the State, which will be formally inaugurated on January 8, at Porvorim.
The office bearers said the Mahasangh has been formed to have a coordination amongst temples and religious organisations and provide free of cost legal assistance to temple committee, resolve legal matters and to impart religious education among youth.
Jayesh Thali, coordinator of GMDSM told reporters that the continuing thefts and idol desecration throughout the State and the failure of the State government to take adequate action forced the temple managements to cobble together the alliance.
“Temples in Goa are being attacked continually. In the past six years, more than 50 idols of temples have been desecrated and more than 250 temples are robbed. But the State government has shown apathy towards this grave issue,” Thali said.
On the contrary, he added that government is trying to label these temples and small shrines as unauthorised religious structures.
Mahasangh President Chandrakant Pandit said that the State government was purposely turning a blind eye towards these incidents hurting Hindu religious sentiments.
“The State government has failed to achieve any breakthrough in these incidents although property worth crores of rupees was robbed away or destroyed,” he said.
Mahasangh’s office bearer Ramesh Shinde criticised State government’s appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has failed completely to give even a single breakthrough in the matter over last two years.
“Where is SIT? It’s defunct. The State government has not adopted any precautionary measures. The incidents of attacking temples are on rise,” he said.
