STATE GOVT. NOT SERIOUS ACTING ON TEMPLES THEFT CASES

PANJIM: Members of the Gomantak Mandir and Dharmik Sanstha Mahasangh, formed by temple managements to tackle cases of temple thefts, have said that the state government is not serious about acting on cases of thefts in temples and idol desecrations in the state and is only pretending to act.

The members are infuriated that they were 'misinformed' by government officials about the time and venue of a meeting of temple managements called to discuss cases of temple thefts.

The members have said that the North Goa district collector's office had convened a meeting of temple trustees at Panjim on January 12 at 4pm to find a solution to increasing cases of thefts in temples. "But many of the temple trustees in Bardez taluka were informed that the meeting would be conducted at 2pm on that day and they were told that the meeting venue was the Mapusa SDPO's office. Respecting the invitation from government officials, many temple trustees remained present at the SDPO's office at 2pm. But the SDPO informed them that the meeting was to be held at the district collector's office in North Goa," said Jayesh Thali, the Mahasangh's state convenor.

He also informed that the temple trustees present at the SDPO's office were then transported in a police bus to the meeting venue at Panjim. "The meeting was being held in a room where there was no place for the temple trustees to even stand. Annoyed by this situation many of the temple trustees preferred to leave the venue. This incident was brought to the notice of the Mahasangh by Balram Gaokar, trustee of Sree Sai Mandir, Canca, and others," stated Thali.

"The government and the police machinery have failed to apprehend the accused in the numerous cases of temple thefts across the state and temple trustees are scared due to the rising incidence of thefts. Despite this, the government is just making a show of convening a meeting of temple trustees," Thali said. (TNN)