No, Karnataka government didn’t divert Hindu temple funds to minority welfare
The Verdict [Misleading]
The law in place states that funds from Hindu temples can only be used for temple development and cannot be diverted for any other purpose.
What’s the claim?
A viral claim alleges that the Congress-led government in the Indian state of Karnataka is diverting funds from temples to mosques and churches. Social media users have circulated an image of a CNN-News18 broadcast, which purportedly shows how much revenue the Karnataka government collects from temples and how much it allocates to mosques, churches, and other minority organizations.
An X user shared the image with the caption: "Karnataka's Congress government, by imposing a tax on temples, collected Rs 445 crores in the last year, out of which Rs 330 crores was donated to mosques and churches, whose income doesn't contribute to the exchequer: CNN. Wake up (sic)."
The post has garnered more than 107,400 views, 4,900 reposts, and 8,700 likes. Similar claims have been widely shared (archived here, here, here, here, and here).
Screenshot of the social media posts. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)
The narrative gained traction shortly after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced he would present the state budget for 2025-26 on March 7, 2025.
However, the claim is misleading. Indian law mandates that revenue from temples can be used only for the development of Hindu religious sites, not for other purposes. These funds cannot be reallocated to minority welfare schemes.
Here are the facts
A reverse image search confirms that the viral screenshot is from a longer CNN-News18 video published on YouTube on February 16, 2024 (archived here). The video, titled, "Karnataka Politics | Karnataka Budget Allocates Funds for Minority Development Amid Controversy," includes the now-viral screenshot at the 4:44 timestamp.
In the report, anchor Rahul Shivshankar discusses the Karnataka state budget presented by Siddaramaiah on February 16, 2024, and criticizes the allocation of funds for minority welfare.
Tallying the numbers
Logically Facts reviewed the 2024-25 Karnataka State Budget and found that the government allocated Rs 330 crore for Muslim and Christian communities under the Minorities Welfare section (page 55). The funds include:
- Rs 100 crore for the development of Waqf properties
- Rs 10 crore for the construction of a Haj Bhavan in Mangaluru
- Rs 200 crore for the Christian community
- Rs 63 crore for other minority communities, including Jains, Sikhs, and Sikligars
- Rs 20 crore for pilgrimage sites of all minority communities
In total, Rs 393 crore was allocated for minority welfare. As stated in the budget, these funds were drawn from the Minorities Development Corporations, not from temple revenues.
Allocation of funds to minorities in 2024-25 Budget. (Source: Karnataka Finance Department)
Meanwhile, budget allocations for Hindu religious sites were listed under the Endowments section (page 114). The government allocated Rs 301 crore to build well-equipped residential complexes at pilgrimage sites outside Karnataka, including Tirumala, Srisailam, Varanasi, and Guddapur. Construction is nearing completion for many of these projects.
Funds allocated to endowment department in the 2024-25 Budget. (Source: Karnataka Finance Department)
Can the funds received from Hindu temples be spent on minority welfare?
A report in The Hindu states that the Karnataka Muzrai (endowments) Department, which oversees temple finances, generated Rs 412 crore in revenue during 2023-24.
According to the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act 1997, revenue collected from Hindu temples can only be used for temple development (page 21, under 'Transfers to Common Pool Fund'). These funds cannot be diverted for any other purpose.
In March 2024, the Karnataka Assembly passed a bill amending the 1997 Act, allowing the government to collect 10 percent of income from temples earning over Rs 1 crore and 5 percent from those earning between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore. These contributions go to the Common Pool Fund, designated for developing underfunded temples, training priests, supporting Vedic schools, and building orphanages for Hindu children. The bill awaits the governor’s approval and has not been implemented.
Additionally, in a February 2024 X post (archived here), Karnataka Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy clarified that money from the Minorities Development Corporations can only be used for minority welfare, while temple revenues must be spent solely on temple development.
The verdict
Karnataka law prohibits using temple funds for minority welfare programs. The funds allocated to minority communities in the 2024-25 budget were drawn from the Minorities Development Corporations, not temple revenues.
(This story was originally published by logicallyfacts.com, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
