MAPUSA
Members of the Bardez Bhandari Samaj strongly condemned the attack on the Rudreshwar Palkhi procession and called for immediate action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against those responsible.
President of the Bhandari Samaj in Bardez, Sanju Naik emphasised that the incident had deeply hurt their religious sentiments.
Naik stated that a complaint had been lodged with the police, identifying individuals involved in the attack, and demanded swift action through the filing of an FIR.
He highlighted that the group responsible for the attack had caused disturbances at the temple in the past, and the Bhandaris were firm in their stance, unwilling to compromise on the issue.
He clarified that the attack targeted not just the temple but the entire community.
“We allow people from different sections of the society to come and worship in the temple. The attack during the Palkhi procession is not on the temple but it is attack on our Samaj,” Naik said while addressing a press conference attended by General Secretary Bolanath Gadi and other leaders,
Furthermore, Naik affirmed the Bhandaris' willingness to defend the temple's rights legally, inviting any claimants to present their documents in court.
He disclosed that their complaint named five individuals and urged authorities to take appropriate action against them.
Expressing concern over the aggressive behaviour directed towards the Bhandari community, Naik recounted the events of the day, explaining that while the morning rituals proceeded smoothly, the problem arose during the evening procession when a group of 30-40 intoxicated individuals armed with sticks attempted to disrupt the procession.
Naik urged the police to take decisive action against the perpetrators, emphasising the community's commitment to seeking justice through legal means.
He said recent events where some Bhandari leaders belonging to a political party were summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate points out to selective targeting but remained short of blaming the government.
Naik also refrained from stating whether the attacks against the community will have any political fallout in the ensuing parliamentary elections.
