For the first time the Marcaim issue has taken a political turn creating cracks within the Bharatiya Janata Party – between the Mahajans (Saraswats) and Bahujan Samaj.
Tension has prevailed in the Marcaim constituency for past six months as the Mahajans or the managing committee of the Navdurga temple attempted to replace the idol, which was opposed tooth and nail by the Bahujan Samaj.
The matter thus has landed in court.
However, the court ordered that the Mahajans cannot replace the idol of the Goddess till the court gives a final verdict in the case filed by the non-Mahajan villagers.
But the district court at Ponda had partially granted rights to Mahajans to carry on temple activities.
Ponda District Judge Irshad Aga today passed the most-awaited order, granting injunction on replacing the idol of Goddess Navdurga.
The hearing on the original suit filed by Shri Navdurga Pratishthan commenced from 7th May.
The issue
The Mahajans or the temple committee says they have decided to replace the old idol after the Priest of the temple belonging to Ghaisas family observed some cracks on the idol.
However, the villagers say there is no need to do so as the crack in the 800-year-old idol is very small and repairable.
The issue of the Mahajans v/s the Bahujan Samaj is not limited to just Marcaim constituency but a movement has started all over the State for scrapping the Mazania Act so much so that it is started taking an ugly turn politically.
The BJP, which is the beneficiary of both the communities, the Saraswats as well as the Bahujan Samaj, now finds itself in the catch 22 situation if they decide to take any side which could prove serious.
Issue gaining momentum: Hoble
While most of the BJP office bearers decided not to speak on the issue, party office-bearer Anil Hoble, who is also the president of Bhandari Samaj and the Bahujan Mahasangh, says the BJP needs to do something at the earliest.
“The issue of Mahajans v/s Bahujan Samaj is gaining momentum everywhere in the State and it could affect the party’s chances adversely,” Hoble said.
He stated that there is absolutely no need to change the idol at Marcaim as it is almost 800 years old.
Hoble said that everything in the temple is done by the villagers or kulavis, purohits and other communities so then why should the mahajans take credit for everything.
Shailendra Panjikar, president of the Sri Devi Navdurga Prathisthan, an association or committee formed by the aggrieved villagers in Marcaim says, “If the BJP government does not intervene and resolve the issue it could be a disaster for them in the coming elections. The people are already upset as they feel the government is pro-saraswats and it is time they must prove who they are with,” says Panjikar.
Purohits say no need to replace idol
The Ghaisas family, the purohits of the temple, has refuted allegations leveled by the temple managing committee that they are the ones provoking villagers against the replacement of the idol of deity Navdurga because the temple committee has terminated their services as temple priests.
Anand Ghaisas said that the district court has asked them to continue with their religious services in the temple. The temple committee has challenged the district court’s decision before the high court and the matter is sub-judice.
Adding that the family is in possession of some historic Comunidade documents from the year 1875 that prove the temple was owned by public and villagers were members of the temple, he said they are opposed to the replacement of the idol of the Marcaim ‘gram devata’ (village deity), goddess Navdurga. The temple committee has declared its plan to replace the existing pre-historic idol with a new one on March 3.
“The entire village worships the idol regularly. It is also revered as the ‘gram devata’ (village deity) of the Marcaim village. The idol of the deity installed in the village temple is about 800 years old and the Pune’s Deccan College recognised by the Archaeological Survey of India has certified this,” Ghaisas said.
