News Brief
Karnataka: Congress Pushes Through Temple Bill Again After Prior Legislative Council Defeat
Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah. (Hemant Mishra/Mint via GettyImages).
In a controversial move, the state legislative assembly has once again passed the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill, 2024.
This comes after the bill faced a setback in the legislative council last week, when it was defeated by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal Secular (JDS) combine.
The bill, aimed at collecting funds from temples with an annual income exceeding Rs 10 lakh, was reconsidered and subsequently passed by the legislative assembly on Thursday (29 February).
It will now proceed to the Governor for final approval, after which it will become law.
Piloting the bill in the assembly, Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy emphasised the importance of its passage, highlighting its previous defeat in the council.
Speaker U T Khader then facilitated a vote, resulting in the bill's passage by a voice vote.
It's important to note that the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to regulate the financial affairs of Hindu religious institutions.
The amendment proposes to collect a percentage of income from temples for the Common Pool Fund, administered by the 'Rajya Dharmika Parishath,' to allegedly support the upkeep of state-controlled temples.
However, the bill has sparked controversy and opposition from the BJP and JD(S), who were absent during its passage in the assembly due to a walkout earlier in the day.
They have criticised the ruling Congress, alleging an attempt to utilise temple funds for political gain.
The Congress, on the other hand, has defended the bill, pointing out a similar amendment made in 2011 aimed at collecting funds from high-income Hindu shrines.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
