MAPUSA
At least two Mapusa Councillors stuck their necks out in slamming the Bodgeshwar temple committee for charging fees from the vendors who did business by putting up stalls for the popular annual zatra held in Mapusa town.
Councillor Prakash Bhivshet said the temple committee has no right to collect fees from the vendors whereas the municipal council has full right to do so because it takes care of the garbage and cleanliness of the entire area.
“The devasthan is in the municipal area and therefore we have the right to take the tax. Why is the devasthan taking the tax? Did Dev Bodgeshwar tell the temple committee to collect tax from the poor vendors,” Bhivshet asked.
He then went to compare the fair taking place for the Milagres feast and the Bodgeswar zatra.
“During the Milagres feast, the municipal council collects Sopo from the stall owners who set shop at the feast fair but the church authorities never collect fees from them. So why should the Bodgeshwar temple committee collect a fee from the vendors during the Bodgeshwar zatra?” he questioned.
Councillor Shashank Narvekar had earlier also told The Goan that the temple committee should not do business by collecting tax from vendors.
He said the temple was getting donations from the public which was running in lakhs and there was no need to charge the poor vendors.
He also agreed that the municipal council was the right authority to charge vendors the tax.
