Say police complaint won't be withdrawn
Members of the Bhandari Samaj address a news conference in the Rudreshwar Devasthan on Thursday evening.
BICHOLIM
Bhandari Samaj members as well as Rudreshwar Devasthan Mahajans have rejected the reported settlement between two groups that was mediated by the deputy collector on Wednesday, following clashes during the Palkhi festival at Arvalem on Monday.
Addressing a news conference on Thursday evening, members of the Bhandari Samaj and Rudreshwar Temple Committee have clarified that Rudreshwar temple belongs to the Bhandari community.
“Also, the police complaint regarding the incident during the Palkhi festival will not be withdrawn but a resolution has been taken in the meeting of the Bhandari Samaj members to submit more evidence,” informed Subhash Kinalkar secretary of the temple committee, while briefing reporters after community members attended a special meeting in the courtyard of Rudreshwar Devasthan.
They were reacting to Deputy Collector Ramesh Gaongkar’s mediation in getting the Sateri Devasthan Committee and Rudreshwar Devasthan Committee to resolve the dispute between the two groups.
Upset over this compromise, Bhandari community members convened a special meeting on Thursday to object to this proposal.
Subhash Kinalkar told reporters that the Bhandari community is united, organised and would not compromise on its rights under any circumstances.
It was also decided to appoint five persons from each of the 12 talukas on the advisory committee and that everyone should attend the Ram Navami festival on April 16.
Temple Committee President Yashwant Madkar, Sangesh Kundaikar, Kashinath Mayekar Vasudev Gawkar and other members of the community were also present at the news conference.
Meanwhile, lawyer-politician Amit Palekar also said the so called compromise eked out by the Deputy Collector is not acceptable to the Bhandari community.
Palekar, who belongs to the Bhandari community was present at the temple in Arvalem-Sanquelim on Sunday where he said over 2,500 members of his community from all over Goa had come for the palanquin (Palkhi) ceremony when a group of 25 people attacked and terrorised devotees with sticks which had nails on them.
"Stones were thrown at the police and other devotees besides women abused," Palekar who is the state president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.
"The Devasthan Committee cannot now say that the dispute is resolved just like that. If this situation is accepted today, tomorrow such things may be repeated in other temples in Goa as well," Palekar said, adding that the community representatives will seek an explanation from the devasthan committee of the Rudreshwar temple.
