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The state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah passed the “Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024” which states that, temples that make more than ₹1 crore will have to give the government 10% of their net income. Temples that make between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore will have to give the government 5% of their net income.
The Assembly on Wednesday approved the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Bill. The Bill is anticipated to be introduced in the Legislative Council on Thursday, where coalition partners JD(S) and BJP have a majority. As a result, the BJP stepped up its onslaught against it.
The opposition BJP has attacked a bill that would establish a Common Pool Fund under the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department to support religious activities in Karnataka. The BJP has claimed that the government is embezzling money from wealthy temples in the state.
22 February, New Delhi [India]: After the Congress-ruled Karnataka passed the controversial Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024 on Thursday, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar took a hard stance against Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the draft resolution represented a “new low” in “appeasement politics.”
For more information, you can download the PDF here regarding “Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024”
Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao pointed out, “The BJP ought to realize that what we are doing is actually for the benefit of temples.”
We made changes to the Act. Previously, 10% of temple revenues over Rs 25 lakhs were levied. The Muzrai Department continued to take the same 10% even during the tenure of the BJP government. We have now genuinely stepped up to the Rs 1 crore mark and beyond. We’re doing the smaller temples a favor.
“BJP is attempting to deceive the public. We will use this money to develop the smaller temples so that they can grow,” he remarked.
Ramalinga Reddy, the minister from Muzrai who proposed the modifications, stated in the Assembly that the cash will be utilized to give scholarships to children from families of almost 40,000 temple priests, insurance coverage, and a death benefit fund for temple priests
Ramalinga Reddy, the minister of transportation, claimed that the BJP is “anti-Hindu,” pointing out that the bill modifications were made by the party that ruled in 2011.
“We don’t dislike Hindus. The BJP is, in fact, anti-Hindu. The year 2003 saw the creation of this Act. They made a few changes in 2011. Approximately 34,000 temples at the time were worth up to Rs 5 lakh; they did not contribute any funds to the Dharmika Parishad. There are roughly 193 ‘B grade’ temples that range in price from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs; they are required to donate 5%. Around 205 temples that are worth more than Rs 10 Lakhs are required to donate 10% of their total. In the Assembly, this amendment was accepted in 2011. Who opposes Hinduism? BJP,” stated Minister Reddy.
What is the Bill?
The Muzrai Department oversees around 35,000 temples, of which 205 have annual incomes over Rs 25 lakh and are classified as Group A, 193 have annual incomes between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh and are classified as Group B, and approximately 34,000 have annual incomes less than Rs 5 lakh and are classified as Group C.
The amendment stipulates that temples that earn more than Rs 1 crore must donate 10% of their income to the Common Pool Fund, while temples that generate revenue between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore should
contribute 5% of their earnings to the fund. According to the Muzrai minister, temples with annual incomes less than Rs 10 lakh will not be required to make any contributions.
Up until now, 10% of the money collected from collection boxes has been donated by Group A temples to a Central Fund, while 5% has been contributed by Group B temples. No contributions came from the temples in Group C.
The “Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024,” which was passed by the Karnataka government, requires the state to charge taxes on temples with income over Rs. 1 crore (10%) and those with revenues between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore (5%).
What is the controversy bill?
The state government came under fire from the BJP, which claimed that it was carrying out “anti-Hindu” policies. According to State President Vijayendra Yediyurappa, the government enacted the bill to top off its empty coffers.
The modifications permit the government to obtain 10% of the earnings from temples that earn one crore rupees or more. Millions of followers have asked why the government is interested in the money coming in from Hindu temples but not from other religions, Yediyurappa, a BJP veteran and former chief minister claimed.
Reddy responded, claiming that although the initial revisions were agreed by the Assembly on Wednesday, they had not been put into effect since 2001. “Did your BJP government fail to fulfill its obligations from 2019 to 2023 and from 2008 to 2013? Despite acts or bills being in place since 2001, it appears they chose to ignore the income from Hindu religious institutions and philanthropic endowments, the man claimed.
Reddy predicted that the use of religious language in politics would not succeed in Karnataka or the polls scheduled for 2023.
“The government should keep a collection box in front of Vidhana Soudha with a sign saying ‘We cannot run the government and have a financial problem,'” Vijayendra told reporters, continuing his tirade against the state government instead of collecting money from temples.
According to Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, the claims made about the Bill’s modifications “seem to be misrepresented,” “aiming only at misleading the public,” and “polarizing people along communal lines for political leverage.”
He claimed that the BJP leaders are only interested in using the country’s youth to further their political agenda by having them give up their employment and fight a fictitious war.
