SHILLONG, OCT 16: The Meghalaya High Court has ordered the district administration of West Jaintia Hills District to arrest a priest and the headman of Nartiang, a village which is home to a 600-year-old Durga temple, if they create unnecessary problem.
The single bench which heard the matter here on Tuesday also directed that the Puja should continue in a ‘peaceful and pious’ manner and other rituals as per the desire of the people of Nartiang.
The order was also issued after a clash broke out between two groups of devotees, who claim ownership to perform the Durga Puja ritual at the Nartiang Durga temple which forced the district administration to step in on Monday night.
As many as 19 police personnel including an additional SP and five women police officers were injured during the clash which took place at around 11 pm yesterday night.
A letter signed by over 900 residents of Nartiang was also submitted to the Deputy Committee Garod LSN Dykes yesterday informing that they have decided that the Durga Puja at Nartiang temple, shall be conducted by Oni Maskut Deshmukh, the permanent priest of the temple.
“The DC and SP of West Jaintia Hills District are hereby directed to ensure strictly that the headman should not bring his own priest and create law and order problems. If the headman and the priest Swappon Bhattacharjee or any other person unnecessarily create problem, they should be put behind bar and to ensure that Puja should be performed in a pious and proper manner,” Justice SR Sen said in his order.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners informed the Court that Puja was going on peacefully till 10.30 pm until the headman brought another priest namely Swappon Bhattacharjee.
As a result the people became hesitated and created law and order problems, which forced the police to use lathi charge and ultimately many people, got injured including police personnel, the counsel said.
On this, the bench observed that bringing another priest is a total violation of the order issued on October 9 while hearing a petition filed by one Salong Byrmein and others.
“I could not understand when the people of Nartiang village had selected Oni Maskut Deshmukh as their priest, what was the necessity of the headman to bring another priest namely, Swappon Bhattacharjee, which is a total violation of the order, dated 09.10.2018 as well as the desire of the people of the village,” Justice Sen stated in the order.
“Therefore, in continuation to my order dated 09.10.2018, I further direct that since Puja has already started, it should continue in a peaceful and pious manner and other rituals as per the desire of the people of Nartiang village.”
Meanwhile, the single bench also directed the DC, SP and the headman of Nartiang village to be present on the next date of hearing scheduled to be held on November 1.
Nartiang Durga temple was closed soon after the death of the chief priest as there was a dispute as to who would conduct the puja at the temple resulting in the High Court intervening in the matter.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner told reporters that as per court order only one priest Oni Maskut Deshmukh will be allowed to complete the Puja rituals.
By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours