6 Aug 2010 The Editor Herald Panaji
The need of the hour is that Temples Mahajans should be prevented from looting Goan temples for their personal businesses. Please let RTI act be made applicable to Goan Temples. Regards Manoj --------------------xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx---------------------------------------------------------------- Temples do not come under purview of RTI as reported in TOI PANAJI: Temples and devasthans are private bodies belonging to Mahajans who manage their own affairs under their respective by-laws. Therefore, these do not come under the purview of the right to information (RTI) Act, revenue minister Jose Philip D'Souza told the legislative assembly on Thursday. D'Souza's announcement came following a calling attention motion by opposition leader Manohar Parrikar on the issue. Parrikar expressed "anxiety and apprehension in the minds of people that the goverment intends to bring temples and other religious institutions under RTI." Parrikar stated that the apprehension is further enhanced due to a circular of the North Goa collector dated July 16 asking all temples heads to give vital information, including data on assets, to M Athikesavan of Tamil Nadu. Having assured that temples do not come under the RTI, D'Souza also announced that the government was withdrawing the said circular of the North Goa collector. In his written reply, D'Souza said that the state government has considered the matter raised by Parrikar as well as the provisions of the devasthan regulations law. D'Souza said the government holds that devasthans are neither public authorities nor local authorities. They are private temples managed by a body of Mahajans and governed by their own by-laws. They are only regulated by the regulations governing Hindu temples (devasthans) of Goa, Daman and Diu. D'Souza stated that the mamlatdar has limited powers of supervision, being the administrator, in terms of the said regulations. Devasthans are neither constituted by any law made by the Parliament or the state legislature, nor are they bodies controlled or in any way, financed directly or indirectly, or in any matter funded by the state government. Hence the state has no deep or pervasive control but only a limited role. This role is in terms of the regulations whereby the mamlatdar of the taluka, as an administrator, supervises the Hindu temples without any interference in the management, D'Souza said. My Comments: Temples get donations from public and hence they are accountable to public. All the donations have to be used for public charitable purposes, which presently is not being done by temples in Goa. In Mumbai various temples give scholarships and donate beds in hospitals. As a student I used to receive scholarship from Mahalaxmi temple and many other temples. Mahajans of temples in Goa are treating temple donations as their individual property and looting the temples, using temple funds collectively for their personal businesses. Mahajans are like Mughal invaders plundering public property. Incidentally all big temples mahajans belong to a particular community and with their grip over socio-political scenario in Goa, they are thwarting all attempts to bring transparency in the management of temples. Hindu Goans have got political freedom but they still have not received religious freedom from this Mahajans who still use Portuguese legislation to retain their control over temple property. Majority of Goans have no managment right in their KUL DEV TEMPLES" AND THEY ARE TREATED LIKE DIRT. Not bringing temples of Goa under the purview of RTI Act is great injustice to Goans. Surprising that Manohar Parrikar belonging to BJP champion of Hindu philosophy is supporting this outdated Portuguese legislation intended to benefit a few. Time will come when Hindu Goans will fight this Mahajans and use temple funds for the betterment of all Goans Regards Manoj Manoj Raikar * * * Was life in the *kudds* glamourised? Who said, "It appears that the Goanese (sic) are a roving people, prepared to go to any part of the world for well-paid employment"? How did Goans find their first toehold in the Gulf? Find your answers in Selma Carvalho's *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Buy from Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
