‘CM Siddaramaiah stealing from temple collection boxes’: BJP opposes Karnataka Bill to open Common Pool Fund (2024)

A legislation that proposes a Common Pool Fund under Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department for aiding religious activities in Karnataka has drawn fire from Opposition BJP, which accused the government of stealing the wealth of rich temples of the state.

The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments (Amendment) Bill, was passed by the Assembly on Wednesday. The BJP intensified its attack against the Bill as it is expected to be tabled in the Legislative Council, where coalition partners BJP and JD(S) enjoy a majority, on Thursday.

Muzrai minister Ramalinga Reddy who introduced the amendments said in the Assembly that the fund will be used to provide various amenities to temples, insurance cover and death relief fund for archaks (temple priests), and scholarships to children from families of around 40,000 archaks.

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Leader of Opposition R Ashok said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was “stealing from the collection boxes of temples”, and alleged that the government was looking to collect “10% commission from the income of temples”.

There are around 35,000 temples under Muzrai Department, of which 205 whose income exceeds Rs 25 lakh per year are categorised as Group A, 193 with incomes between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh are Group B and around 34,000 temples with incomes below 5 lakh are Group C.

Till date, Group A temples contributed 10 per cent of the revenue generated from collection boxes to a Central Fund and Group B contributed five per cent. There were no contributions from Group C temples.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said there “has always been a mandate to create a common pool since the enactment of the Act in 1997 … The common pool is administered solely for religious purposes connected with the Hindu religion. The Common Pool Fund has been utilised only for the religious purposes of Hindu institutions since the Act came into force in 2003, and it will continue to be used for the same purposes in the future.”

The baseless allegations by BJP leaders, he said, were aimed only at misleading the public and polarising people along communal lines for political leverage. “BJP leaders should be ashamed of their unethical practices,” he said.

As per the amendment, temples with incomes above Rs 1 crore will have to contribute 10 per cent to the Common Pool Fund, and temples generating Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore revenue should chip in five per cent to the fund. Temples with incomes below Rs 10 lakh will not have to contribute at all, Reddy said.

The funds will be under Rajya Dharmika Parishat and will be used to grant aid primarily to Category C temples apart from providing welfare measures to families of archaks and other employees at these temples, he said.

The state high-level committee and district high-level committees were also formed to review and submit proposals for amenities at Group A temples.

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The Bill was passed without much Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Wednesday. Later in the evening, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra tweeted accusing the Congress government of “turning its evil eye” to the incomes of Hindu temples to fill its coffers.

“The amendments allow the government to collect 10 per cent of revenues from temples with incomes of Rs one crore or more… The question from crores of devotees is why was the government eyeing the incomes of Hindu temples when it is not interested in the revenue of other religions,” he said.

Reddy hit back, saying the original amendments which was passed by the Assembly Wednesday was in existence since 2001, but was not implemented. “Did your BJP government neglect its responsibilities between 2008 and 2013, as well as from 2019 to 2023? It seems they turned a blind eye to the revenues of Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments, despite the existence of acts or bills in place since 2001,” he said.

Such strategy of religious rhetoric for political gains, Reddy said, would fail in Karnataka as in the 2023 polls.

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Vijayendra, who continued his salvo against the state government, told reporters that rather than taking money from temples, “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’.”

It is unfortunate that the government has stooped to this level, he alleged.

‘CM Siddaramaiah stealing from temple collection boxes’: BJP opposes Karnataka Bill to open Common Pool Fund (2024)

FAQs

What is the common pool fund in Karnataka? ›

The common pool is administered solely for religious purposes connected with the Hindu religion. The Common Pool Fund has been utilised only for the religious purposes of Hindu institutions since the Act came into force in 2003, and it will continue to be used for the same purposes in the future.”

Who is CM of Karnataka? ›

Listen to This Article. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar along with several ministers and legislators on Sunday staged a dharna here, alleging injustice done to the state by the union government while releasing the drought relief funds.

Who is the leader of Karnataka? ›

Siddaramaiah (born 3 August 1947), also referred to by his nickname Siddu, is an Indian politician who is serving as the 22nd Chief Minister of Karnataka since 2023.

What is the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Chariarities Endowments Bill? ›

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.

What are the 2 types of pooled funds? ›

Pooled funds are funds in a portfolio from many individual investors that are aggregated for the purposes of investment. Mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange traded funds, pension funds, and unit investment trusts are all examples of professionally managed pooled funds.

Which is the natural blue pool in Karnataka? ›

Dandeli_Tourism_Adventure | Natural blue swimming pool 😍 Location 📌- Blue waterfalls - Anshi - Near dandeli - Karnataka 🇮🇳 @dandeli_tourism_adventure .... Instagram.

Who is the largest CM in Karnataka? ›

The longest-serving chief minister, D. Devaraj Urs, held the office for over seven years in the 1970s. INC's Veerendra Patil had the largest gap between two terms (over eighteen years). One chief minister, H. D. Deve Gowda, went on to become the eleventh prime minister of India, whereas another, B. D.

What is Karnataka called? ›

Karnataka (/kərˈnɑːtəkə/; ISO: Karnāṭaka, Kannada: [kɐɾˈnaːʈɐkɐ]), also known colloquially as Karunāḍu, is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, and renamed Karnataka in 1973.

Who is CM of Karnataka BJP or Congress? ›

The people will see through them and defeat the BJP, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said. He was addressing a Congress campaign rally in Vijayapura on Friday in support of party candidate Raju (H.R.) Alagur.

What was the old name of Karnataka? ›

The name Mysore—or Mysuru, which more accurately reflects the pronunciation in Kannada—is from the Sanskrit word for “buffalo town,” as Karnataka formerly was called. It derives from the destruction of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura by the goddess Chamunda.

Who controls Karnataka? ›

Head Leaders
OfficeLeaderSince
Constitutional Posts
Chief MinisterSiddaramaiah20 May 2023
Deputy Chief MinisterD. K. Shivakumar20 May 2023
Chairman Karnataka Legislative CouncilBasavaraj Horatti21 December 2022
10 more rows

What is Karnataka famous for? ›

Karnataka is primarily known for its Heritage destinations and its Wildlife/ National Parks. Apart from that, it is also famous for its magical hill stations, spectacular waterfalls, pilgrimage centres and a 320km long coastline dotted with un-spoilt beaches.

What is the religion of Hinduism in Karnataka? ›

Karnataka was the birthplace of several notable Hindu movements. The three most prominent movements of Vedanta Hinduism -- Advaita Vedanta, Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita—began in Karnataka. The Dvaita Madhvacharya, who was from Karnataka, was the chief proponent of Tattvavāda, the "philosophy of reality".

What is Karnataka freedom of religion law? ›

The law prohibits conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, fraud, allurement or marriage. In its opinion dated December 10, 2021, the Law department said legal aspects should be looked into, and the Home department ought to take a “proper decision” before seeking their approval.

What is Karnataka protection of right to religion? ›

An Act to provide for protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means.

What is the common pool fund? ›

“The Common Pool Fund is utilised only for the benefit of religious purposes of Hindu religious institutions since the Act came into force in 2003 and in future also, it will be utilised for the same purpose,” Mr.

What is a common pool fund? ›

Pooled funds are investment vehicles such as mutual funds, commingled funds, group trusts, real estate funds, limited partnership funds, and alternative investments. The distinguishing feature of a pooled fund is that a number of retirement boards or investors contribute money to the fund.

What is a fund pool? ›

Pooled funds is a term used to collectively refer to a set of money from individual investors combined, i.e., “pooled” together for investment purposes. The funds are combined with the intention of benefiting from economies of scale through cost minimization.

What is the meaning of common fund? ›

A common fund is a form of collective investment scheme based upon contractual law rather than being enacted through a trust, corporation or insurance policy. The model for this type of arrangement is the Fonds commun de placement common in France and Luxembourg.

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