In the second effort, Karnataka clears bill to tax Hindu temples.

Karnataka government will collect 10% of income of Hindu temples clocking revenue over ₹1 crore.

Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill passed in both houses of Karnataka assembly. 

B Upendran | HENB | Bengaluru | March 1, 2024:: The  State Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, for the second time on Thursday. Later, it was passed in the Council, amidst protest by BJP members. It had been rejected by the combined Opposition in the Legislative Council last Friday. Now, the Bill will be send to the Governor for his assent.

The Bill mandates that the government will collect 10% of the income of temples that have revenue of more than ₹1 crore.

The Bill is also dedicated to collect 5% of the income of Hindu temple boards  earning between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

Accordingly, the Bill will  generate an extra Rs 60 crore, from 87 temples with incomes of over Rs 1 crore and 311 temples with income over Rs 10 lakh, as reports came in.

The Opposition BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) members opposed the Bill in the Council and alleged that it was “anti-Hindu” and aimed at diverting funds from the Hindu temples.

Countering this, Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy had said that money so taken would be in the Common Pool Fund to fund poor ‘C’ grade temples and provide several facilities for temple priests and their families.

Actually, all political parties including BJP have been extruding the donations given to the deities of Hindu temples when they are in power in any state in a very inappropriate manner. In many states, Hindu Charitable Endowment or Devaswom bodies are enacted to extrude the Temple money by the Government. It is an utter discrimination as there is no such provisions for any Mosque, Islamic shrine or Christian Church anyway.

Earlier, the BJP Government in Karnataka also collected money from temples as they now collect in BJP ruled states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. The BJP Government in Uttrakhand also tried to take control over Char-dham temples, but retracted to do so after facing legal challenges from Dr Subramanian Swamy. Dr Swamy is now fighting to free Pandharpur Vitthal Rukmini temple from the clutch of BJP led Government in Maharashtra.

All political parties including BJP exploit the Hindu temple money in a very discriminatory way, when they never think to touch any Mosque or Church.

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__Inputs from The Hindu.