A disabled girl on a wheelchair was allegedly denied entry to Mangueshi temple by the trustee, in north Goa on Monday. The girl’s parents have lodged a police complaint over the issue.
In the complaint which was forwarded to the Superintendent of Police (South) and South Goa Collector DRAG on Monday, Subhada Keskar said that the temple committee member, Anil Kenkre did not allow her daughter Sanika Keskar, who was on her wheelchair due to her physical disability, to enter the Mangueshi Temple, Mardol for worship. Sanika was denied entry into the temple, since wheelchairs were not allowed in the temple as it was a ‘vehicle’.
The Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), a body spearheading the cause of persons with disabilities(PwDs) has demanded immediate action against Mr. Kenkre, for allegedly denying the wheelchair user’s entry to the temple.
"Mr. Kenkre also told the Keskars that they were not invited to the temple. This is outright discrimination and abuse of physically challenged person, which is a criminal offence under Section 92(a) of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 . We also wish to bring to notice that denial of right to worship is a serious offence as right to worship is a fundamental right under the Constitution of India. Hence we request you to register a criminal offence against the Mangueshi Temple Committee member Mr. Kenkre under the relevant sections of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 and the Indian Penal Code immediately”, the complaint stated.
'Implement 2016 law'
DRAG has also written to the North and South Goa Collectors and the State Disability Commissioner to direct all heads of religious places of worship in their jurisdiction to ensure that persons with disability and the elderly are not denied entry into places of worship due to their aids and appliances and all places of worship are made accessible as mandated under the Rights of Persons with Disability Act 2016 within six months of this letter.
However, Mr. Kenkre, denied the allegations. “I exactly don’t remember what they asked me and details of our conversation, but I am very clear that we never deny right to any person to enter the temple and pray. What I told them is there is no facility to take the wheel-chair inside the temple, but it would not be correct to say that we denied them entry,” Mr. Kenkre said.
In reply to a question, he admitted that the temple was not disabled-friendly to take a wheel-chair inside, but "persons with disabilities come to temple and nobody has any issues of entry," he reiterated.
Goa State Disability Commissioner Anuradha Joshi confirmed to have received the complaint from DRAG and said that she would on Tuesday herself visit the temple to find out for herself what was the situation and apart from dealing with the complain legally, she would also try and see what could be done so that PwDs do not face problems of temple access.
