PANAJI
Gambling is an unspoken feature of the fair at every temple ‘jatra’ in Goa but the recent act of the Sateri Devi temple management at Ibrampur in Pernem to put up on the notice board the names of a group of people opposing this illegal act has erupted into a major controversy.
A large number of people from the area have objected to the management’s act of putting out the names in the public domain and questioned their intentions.
Earlier this week, a group of people, including Rajaram Vishnu Gawas, had submitted a written statement to the Director General of Police, Mopa Police Station, North Goa Police Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Crime Branch, showing strong opposition to gambling at Sateri Devi’s fair in Ibrampur.
Apart from Gawas, at least another dozen residents of the area have signed the written memorandum and there was suspense in the area as to what action, if any, the authorities would take against the illegal activity at the temple fair.
In the meanwhile, the temple committee put up the names of those who opposed gambling through the memorandum addressed to the authorities on the temple’s board, antagonising the group opposing gambling who claim that people come only to seek blessings of the goddess but are hampered by the illegal activity.
Ibrampur sarpanch, Ashok Dhauskar has called out the temple committee for putting up the names on the temple notice board.
“It is completely wrong on the part of the temple committee to put up the names of those who oppose gambling on the board like this. It is imperative that the authorities take stringent measures in the matter but it has not happened yet,” Dhauskar said.
