Kolhapur : District Collector’s decision to give chemical coating on Mahalakshmi idol

Those acting against Dharmashastra will be given 20-25 years punishment of studying Dharmashastra in detail, in Hindu Rashtra !

Kolhapur (Maharashtra) : The process of chemical preservation of Shri Mahalakshmi Devi’s idol has been started and it cannot be stopped now. It will be carried on. If any harm is caused to the idol due to such process, its responsibility will be with the Archaeology Department.

The amount of Rs. 1.25 lakhs sent to Archaeology Department at Sambhajinagar by Pashchim Maharashtra Devasthan Vyavasthapan Samiti (PMDVS) has not yet been received by the Department; therefore, its officers were not ready to come here.

At that time, a letter was received from Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS). We will consider the objections raised by HJS but only after 6th August. HJS should give us a letter as the President of PMDVS. All points raised by them regarding Dharmashastra will be studied before taking any decision, informed District Collector Amit Saini.

Before that a meeting was held with representatives of HJS, its expert in coating, sculptors, Shri-pujak and members of PMDVS. The points on Dharmashastra were presented by Shri. Ramesh Shinde, the national spokesperson of HJS, advocate Shri. Veerendra Ichalkaranjikar, all-India President of ‘Hindu Vidhidnya Parishada’ and former Judge Shri. Sudhakar Chapalgaonkar; but the District Collector expressed his inability to do anything in the matter. Shri-pujak also said that it was not possible to stop the process after the ritual was performed. There was talk about District Collector being under political pressure. The local MP Dhananjay Mahadik also stated that there were no orders for stopping the work undertaken by Archaeology Department.

Devout Hindus and experts attending the meeting

Kolhapur : Shri. Ramesh Shinde, the national spokesperson of HJS informed while talking to correspondents after the meeting with District Collector that

 1. We explained the need for replacing the idol as per Dharmashastra. Finding permanent solution for the problem was necessary instead of carrying out restoration every now and then.

 2. He informed that the responsibility in case of damage caused to the idol, would lie with the Archaeology Department.

 3. District Collector said that decision to continue the above process was taken in view of maintaining law and order. He promised to take decision after 6th August on replacement of the idol; by holding a special meeting with PMDVS.

 4. We are not in favour of chemical restoration even now. We are firm on replacement of idol with new idol as per Dharmashastra. The decision taken by District Collector is from the point of view of law and order and there is no question of our taking retreat on our stand.

 5. The important thing is that we brought it to the notice of District Collector Shri-pujaks mentioning about damage caused to the idol while opposing metal coating. They had also claimed that due to such coating the vibrations emitted through the idol would not reach devotees. Today, however, they are opposing their own stand.

Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat