Navdurga Temple dispute: HC asks DM to appoint receiver for donations
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Bombay High Court in Goa has ordered the District Magistrate to appoint a Receiver to keep an account and receipts until the Navdurga jatra in Madkai is conducted. The court also ordered the peaceful conduct of the jatra without any interference.
Madkai’s Navdurga jatra has been surrounded by a dispute between the Mahajans and the locals for some years.
There has been a long dispute between the people of Madkai and the Mahajans of the Navdurga temple over the rights of the temple festivities and rituals. The temple receives a lot of donations and collections during the jatra period, which was a matter of contention between the locals and the Mahajans of the temple.
The Mahajans of the temple had complained to the Court that there was interference and trouble from the locals. They had asked for police protection and also pleaded for the recording of temple donations and collections by a government officer.
In a similar order in 2011, the civil court, hearing a plea from the Mahajans, had prevented people from interfering in temple festivities and activities. Based on this order, the Mahajans had pleaded for police protection and the appointment of a receiver.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam said, “The government has already appointed a magistrate who will be there 24 hours a day at the jatra site. If necessary, we will have more police forces on site to avoid any problems.
AG Pangam hoped that after this order there will be no more public order situation during the festivities.
