A Goa village bans posters of kings and maharajas in its jurisdiction

No posters of kings or maharajas are allowed in South Goa’s Rumdamol-Davorlim village panchayat (Photo: Freeimages.com/ Asif Akbar – for representational purpose only)

Whether King of Mysore Tipu Sultan or Maratha King Chhattrapati Shivaji, a village council of South Goa's Davorlim has resolved to ban posters of kings and maharajas, much to the consternation of followers of the Maratha king.

The Rumdamol-Davorlim village panchayat in a written reply has refused to issue a no-objection certificate to members of the Shiv Samaj association to put up banners celebrating Shiv Jayanti (birth anniversary of Shivaji). The council has cited an official resolution which debars "putting up of banners of kings and maharajas" within the panchayat jurisdiction.

"We have decided to go in appeal against the decision of the panchayat. It is ridiculous that fans of Shivaji Maharaj are not allowed to put up banners celebrating his birth anniversary," Mahadev Virdikar, a member of the Shiv Samaj, said. Shiv Jayanti will be celebrated in western Indian states on February 18.

"With reference to your letter dated February 13, this is to inform you that this panchayat has taken decision not to issue any NOC to put up banners of kings and maharajas in jurisdiction of Rumdamol-Davorlim as per resolution," the letter issued by the panchayat on February 15 reads.

Custodio Faria, Panchayat Secretary of Rumdamol-Davorlim -- located around 45 km from Panaji -- said that the resolution banning posters and banners of kings and maharajas was passed by the panchayat last year after there was a law and order issue over banners eulogising Tipu Sultan in the panchayat's jurisdiction.

"As far as the panchayat is concerned, we are only following the resolution which was passed on November 18 last year, according to which no NOC will be issued for putting up banners about kings and maharajas," said Faria.

"The resolution was passed in view of a law and order problem last year when Tipu Sultan's posters were put up in the village," Faria added. - IANS