MARGAO
The statue Sambhaji Maharaj installed with much fanfare at Rumdamol village by Hindu groups on Shiv Jayanti in February earlier this year has come back to haunt members of the Hindu community and the law enforcing agencies.
In fact, two groups of Hindus, one comprising of the group led by Vinayak Volvoikar that installed the Sambhaji’s statue and the Maruti Temple Trust headed by President Bhai Naik have come face to face over the controversial statue.
The reasons behind the row sound different. The Maruti Temple Trust headed by Bhai Naik has contended that the statue has come in the way of the Palki procession taken out by the Maruti Temple. In fact, Bhai has claimed that the statue has obstructed the way of the procession as a result of which the procession, instead of taking a turn at the site, is forced to return back to the temple without taking the turn. He further contended that the palki procession cannot proceed under a Lion installed at Sambhaji’s statue.
Volvoikar and the group members comprising of Mantesh Ragi, however, have begged to differ. He claimed that the Sambaji statue does not pose any obstruction to the Palki procession of the Maruti Temple. He said the statue was installed at the spot taking all the factors, including the Palki procession into account.
Margao Deputy Collector, Ramesh Gaonkar on Thursday convened a joint meeting with representatives of both sides to work out a solution and to avert any law and order problem.
At the meeting, Bhai Naik suggested that the issue can be resolved amicably if the statue is slightly shifted to make way for the Palki procession. He further said that the Maruti Temple trust will accept whatever decision is taken by the Deputy Collector.
Volvoikar, on the other hand, ruled out the possibility of shifting the Sambhaji statue from the site. “No one has a problem with the problem, except one person, whose ego has been hurt because he was not consulted by the group before installing the statue. Sambhaji Maharaj has been a great warrior. We believe him as God, who had fought against the Mughals and the Portuguese,” Volvoikar added.
When Salcete Mamlatdar Pratraprao Gaonkar sought to know from both sides over the ownership of the property in question, it was revealed that the site where the statue is installed belongs to the WRD. The issue over the location of the Stambha also came for discussion, with Bhai insisting that since no one has lodged any objection to the Stambha all these years, the temple trust is the deemed owner of the area in question.
Temple President Bhai Naik had objected to the installation of Shivaji Maharaja near the Maruti Temple soon after the statue was inaugurated by Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar on Shiv Jayanti in February last. Since then, Bhai had dashed off letters to the various authorities and had even raised the issue at the janata darbar of Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai in June last.
Deputy Collector, Ramesh Gaonkar later told the media that another round of meeting with the two parties will be convened to work out a solution.
