Govt still studying the proposal to free Hindu temples from state control: Minister Shashikala Jolle
Bengaluru, Feb 3: Karnataka Minister for Muzrai (Hindu religious endowment) Shashikala Jolle on Thursday said the government is still studying the proposal to free Hindu temples from state control.
A delegation of priests met the Minister today and gave her a memorandum urging the government to drop the idea of freeing Hindu temples.
"We are still studying on freeing temples, we are trying to understand about the situation in other states and how they are doing. I have also discussed with the Chief Minister," Jolle said.
Speaking to reporters here, she said priests have already held discussions with her two-three times in this regard.
Stating that she along with the Chief Minister are in favour of the priests, the Minister said "they have also asked for increase in tasdik (compensation for land vested with the government). It is a rightful demand, we have prepared a proposal in this regard and I will discuss with CM on this very soon."
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in December had said that the Karnataka government will bring in a law aimed at freeing Hindu temples from laws and rules that control them at present.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Minister, priests said if the government brings in the proposed law to free temples from the state control, it will cause more harm to the temples.
"Kings had given land to temples, if they are freed now it will be difficult. There are properties worth lakhs of crores (of rupees), who will protect them? If they form a trust, will they take care of it? It will lead to lots of problems, so our opinion is that this should not be done," a priest, who was a member of the delegation, said.
A total of 34,563 temples in the state come under Muzrai department, and they have been categorized as grade A, B and C, based on their revenue generation.
A total of 207 temples with annual revenue above Rs 25 lakh come under category A, 139 temples between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh come under category B, and 34,217 temples with less than Rs 5 lakh annual revenue under category C.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
