Bhadrapad Krushna Trayodashi
Ponda (Goa): Sree Saraswati’s idol situated in the campus of the Ponda Education Society’s Shri. Ravi Sitaram Naik College of Arts and Science College at Farmagudi, Ponda was desecrated by heretics on the night of 16th September. The college management filed a F.I.R. 5 days after the incident only when the ABVP, the Akhil Goa Mandir Suraksha Samiti (AGMSS), students and the BJP staged an agitation against the college management for its apathetic outlook in this regard.
The said desecration incident came to light on the 17th September. The upper body of the stone idol and its hands were broken. After this incident, an emergency meeting was conducted in the presence of the Chairman of the P.E.S. College and Home Minister of Goa, Shri. Ravi Naik. Two members of the management committee were not present for the above meeting. Hence the decision to file a F.I.R. could not be taken. The management informed the press that the decision would be taken in the next meeting to be held on the 20th September. (Are the Congress representatives, who are unable to decide whether a police complaint regarding Sree Saraswati’s idol desecration should be filed or not, really Hindus? – Editor)
At this time, the office bearers of AGMSS met with the Principal of the College Dr. Anil Dinge and condemned the said desecration incident and demanded immediate filing of the F.I.R. to facilitate prompt and speedy investigation by the police. Later, the AGMSS furnished a memorandum to the Ponda Police Station appealing for the arrest of the culprits in this regard.
Since the college management did not file a F.I.R. for two days after the incident, the ABVP, AGMSS and the students staged a strong agitation outside the college campus and demanded lodging of a F.I.R. with immediate effect. At this time, a protest meeting led by ABVP’ Ms. Ratnaprabha Rahate; AGMSS’ Goa State Convenor Shri. Vinayak Chari and Shri. Jayesh Thali and AGMSS’ member Shri. Sudesh Naik was organised.
Finally, a F.I.R. was lodged with the Ponda Police Station on 21st September, late in the evening by Shri. Raghuveer Desai, treasurer of P.E.S. He stated that the College suffered a loss of ten thousand rupees due to the said desecration incident. Shri. Manjunath Desai, PI of the Ponda Police Station is investigating in this matter.
Source: Daily Sanatan Prabhat
