PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the government will immediately begin reconstructing the Khapreshwar temple at Porvorim after the new committee which comprises local devotees identifies the new location.
Sawant who was addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting decried what he called were attempts to fuel a controversy and said he too had religious and sentimental attachment to Dev Khapreshwar and often paid obeisance and received 'prasad'.
"We have removed the idol with all due rituals and formalities. Also rituals and 'pujas' are being performed daily. The committee and local devotees within the next couple of days will identify the most suitable area to relocate the temple and work will begin immediately thereafter," Sawant said.
"A new 2-year-old banyan tree will also be planted adjacent to the temple as translocating the old one will not be proper," Sawant said.
“Our reverence and devotion to Dev Khapreshwar is the same as any other devotee," Sawant asserted even as he revealed that the old committee which had consented to the relocation has abstained from identifying the new location for over a year.
Authorities had on Sunday faced the wrath of a large crowd of local residents, civil society and devotees during their drive to uproot the banyan tree, remove the idol and demolish the temple which came the way of the flyover.
The frenzied reaction of the crowd had forced the authorities to halt the demolition and avoid a law-and-order situation. However, the temple was eventually demolished in the wee hours of Monday and the idol has been kept in safe custody in a 'container'.
