evenues From Temples Diverted For Haj Subsidy And Madarassas In Karnataka

Revenues From Temples Diverted For Haj Subsidy And Madarassas In Karnataka

By: Anjali Patel
anjali_patel111@yahoo.com
October 29, 2003

Highlights:

70% (Rs. 50.00 Crores) of Hindu Temples money is diverted for Muslim Madarasas and Haj by Indian Government.
5,000 Temples in Karnataka to be closed down due to lack of funding and maintenance
During Kumbh Mela in Nasik each Hindu was forced to pay Rs.25 to Rs.50 for a dip in the holy water. Congress, BJP and Shiv Sena said nothing about this (while giving money to Muslims and Christians).
Today, if a Hindu or Sikh wishes to visit holy places in Kailash Mansarovar or Gurudwara in Pakistan, leave alone subsidiary, they are forced to shell out large amount of money to visit their holy places (while Islam enjoys massive 70% share of Hindus hard earned money to visit Haj in Saudi Arabia)

Details:

The Congress Government of Karnataka has made another breakthrough in appeasing the Minority Communities in Karnataka. The Government passed a bill in the assembly that all private owned temples and the temple comprising of trustees in Karnataka must pay minimum tax to the Government every year. Failing to which, the authorized people of the temple would be liable and or would be prosecuted. This law is being passed in order to generate income for the development of madarasas and provide subsidies to Haj Pilgrims in Karnataka.

Earlier to this the Government was collecting the entire income from all the Government Controlled temples in the state.

We have received few data from the Revenue section of Tourism and Temples Government of Karnataka. I am enclosing the data of revenue status of last six years for your references.

All Figures are in Crores:

Year	No. of Temples	Revenue from Temples	Expenses on Temples		Madarasas & Haj Subsidiary		Church		Other		Other Description
1997	264,000	Rs. 52.35 Cr.	INR 17.33	33%	INR 9.25	18%	INR 3.00	6%	INR 22.77	43%	Rural and Women Development
1998	267,073	Rs. 58.35 Cr.	INR 16.50	28%	INR 14.25	24%	INR 5.00	9%	INR 22.60	39%	Medical and Health in Rural Area
1999	267,000	Rs. 65.35 Cr.	INR 15.00	23%	INR 27.00	41%	INR 8.00	12%	INR 17.35	27%	Details Not available
2000	262,038	Rs. 69.96 Cr.	INR 13.75	20%	INR 35.00	50%	INR 8.00	11%	INR 13.21	19%	Reserved for Haj Victims compensation
2001	254,038	Rs. 71.60 Cr.	INR 11.50	16%	INR 45.00	63%	INR 10.00	14%	INR 5.10	7%	Details Not available
2002	251,012	Rs. 72.00 Cr.	INR 10.00	14%	INR 50.00	69%	INR 10.00	14%	INR 2.00	3%	Details Not available

It looks like the Congress Government of Karnataka is more concerned about the madarassas and the Haj Committee, but it has turned a blind eye at the fate of 2.5 lakh Hindu Temples in Karnakata, which is actually under their direct control. If the Government continues its neglect towards the maintenance and development of these temples for other few years, we

will not be surprised to see that over 50,000 Temples will be forced to closed town in next five years. Karnatka is the 4th State in India of having highest number of temples, out of which large number require immediate financial aid.

In regard to this, we made a visit to few ancient temples in Karnakata. We felt very sad seeing the pathetic conditions of the poorly maintained temples by the Government. We had spoken to a few temples Uttaradhikaris and priests in Government owned temple. Each and everyone expressed their displeasure and at the attitude of the Government. They say that they are not receiving any financial aid for day-to-day maintenance of the temple. They even said that they were employed on salary basis, which they are not receiving regularly. Some priests told us that they have not received salaries for over 6 months period and they are surviving only on collections donated by the devotees by the in the “Aarti” plate.

In view of the Coming Lok Sabha elections, the Government would like to appease their precious vote bank by even taxing the individual owned temples in Karnataka to generate more money for madarassa development and Haj Subsidy. It is unfortunate that even the opposition party like the BJP, which has come to power at the centre on the Hindutva platform has remained quite in this matter. Today If a Hindu or Sikh wishes to visit our holy place in Kailash Mansarovar or the holy Gurudwara in Pakistan, leave alone subsidy, they are forced to shell out large amount of money to visit their holy shrines.

Few days back, during the Kumbh Mela in Nasik, each Hindu was forced to pay Rs.25/- to Rs.50/- to have a dip in the holy sangam. In Maharashtra too the there is a Congress Government and it is the same silent opposition BJP and Shivsena.

Is anybody seriously concerned about this? The Hindus and their temples have no source of income from anywhere. They are forced to generate all the finance in India itself. But it is not the same in the case of Muslims and Christians. The Muslims receive aid from many Muslim countries in various forms and the Christians receive bountiful grants in the form of charities from their Christian Brothers in Vatican city, Europe, America, Australia etc.

To further appease their precious vote bank what has the Governments in store for Hindus in the future?

Tomorrow they may collect taxes from Hindus, if Hindus want to survive in Hindustan.

Anjali Patel

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Reserved for Haj Victims compensation