In a strong rebuke to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed the passage of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024 by the Congress-ruled Karnataka. Chandrasekhar labeled the draft resolution as a ‘new low’ in ‘appeasement politics.’ The controversial bill mandates a 10% tax on temples generating revenue exceeding Rs 1 crore and a 5% tax on shrines with revenue between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore.
Chandrasekhar accused the Congress of using the bill to fill the political ‘ATM’ of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar. In a video message, he declared opposition to the bill, criticizing the Congress government’s priorities while Rahul Gandhi conducts a nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The BJP condemned the legislation as ‘anti-Hindu,’ with state chief BY Vijayendra alleging that it was a ploy to divert donations from temples to the government’s coffers. He criticized the government’s plan to collect temple revenue, emphasizing the need for funds to be dedicated to temple renovation and services for devotees. Vijayendra questioned the selective targeting of Hindu temples for revenue and suggested alternative means for the government to boost its income.
In response, Karnataka minister Ramalinga Reddy pointed out that the amendments allowing the government to collect money from temples were brought in by the previous BJP government in 2011, led by BS Yediyurappa and Sadananda Gowda.
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