Congress said that temples are the property of the people of this state (Karnataka). (file)
Bangalore:
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday clarified that the proposed law aims to free Hindu temples from government control, as the Congress accused the ruling BJP of planning to sell or hand over party workers.
With plans to free Hindu temples from state control, the chief minister announced earlier this week that his government would bring in a law aimed at freeing temples from the laws and regulations that currently govern them.
“…we are not handing over the temple to anyone, we are only freeing them from the government system,” Bommai told reporters in response to a question.
“It is clear that the views of DK Shivakumar (state Congress chief) on Hindu temples are against the sentiments of Hindu worshipers and temple-goers,” he said.
Expressing opposition to the Congress over the proposed law, its state president Mr. Shivakumar on Friday accused the BJP government of trying to hand over Hindu temples to its workers.
“Most of the temples in the state are run under the administration of the government, devotees put money worth crores of rupees in donation boxes in these temples, many of them also have assets that have come for many years. They are going to hand them over to them. Hand it over to their (BJP) workers.”
He said, “We are also Hindus, who follow our religion and culture… They (BJP) are trying to advance their agenda by raising emotional issues, we will not allow it. I am telling the Chief Minister To give up their false illusions. That by doing such things they will get votes.”
Further asking the government not to interfere in the system in which temples have been running for years, Mr. Shivakumar said, “Otherwise, you (BJP) will burn. We are not anti-Hindu, it is you. Hindu temples are there.” Not your property, it is the property of the people of this state.”
“How cruel… you (BJP) are trying to sell God and temples,” he said, adding that the Congress would not allow it, and that he has called a meeting of senior party leaders on January 4, at which During this they will take a clear stand on the issue.
The chief minister’s announcement to bring in a law to free Hindu temples from state control is seen as another major step by the BJP government after the controversial “Karnataka Protection of Rights to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021”. Popularly known as ‘anti’. ‘Conversion Bill’, which is yet to be passed by the Legislative Council to become a law.
A total of 34,563 temples in the state come under the Muzrai (Hindu Religious Endowment) department, and are classified as Grade A, B and C on the basis of revenue generation.
A total of 207 temples with annual revenue more than Rs 25 lakh fall under Category A, 139 temples between Rs five lakh and Rs 25 lakh fall under Category B, and 34,217 temples with annual revenue less than Rs 5 lakh under Category C. come.
Many Hindu organizations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), have long been demanding that temples be freed from government control and handed over to Hindu society.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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