Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot refuses to sign temple tax bill, asks, ‘Why not other religious bodies?’

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot refused to sign the controversial temple tax bill on Thursday.

As reported by Republic, Governor Gehlot said, “Why not tax other religious bodies? Why tax only temples?”

The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was introduced by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on February 21 and passed in the Vidhan Sabha. However, it faced defeat by a voice vote in the upper house on February 23, where the opposition holds a majority.

Also Read: Karnataka temple tax row: Siddaramaiah counters 'fake news’ after BJP backlash — All you need to know

The Karnataka Temple Bill was later reconsidered and passed in both the Assembly and the Legislative Council on March 1.

What is the Karnataka Temple Bill?

The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024, suggests imposing a 5% levy on temples earning between ₹10 lakh and less than ₹1 crore annually.

Additionally, temples with incomes surpassing ₹1 crore would be subject to a 10% charge by the state government. These collected funds are intended for a Common Pool Fund managed by the ‘Rajya Dharmika Parishath’.

Also Read: Siddaramaiah govt’s temple tax bill defeated; BJP chants 'Jai Shree Ram’ to protest. 10 things to know

This fund is designated for the well-being of archakas/priests, including provisions like insurance coverage, relief funds in case of death, and scholarships for children from approximately 40,000 priest families and other temple staff. It also aims to support ‘C’ category temples (state-controlled) with annual incomes below ₹5 lakh to ensure their maintenance.

The Department of Religious and Charitable Endowments, popularly known as the Muzrai department, administers about 35,000 Hindu religious institutions which receive grants from the Government of Karnataka.

What makes this bill ‘controversial’?

The opposition parties, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular), have criticised the bill as anti-Hindu. They allege that the Congress government in Karnataka aims to bolster its finances using temple funds. They argue that the Siddaramaiah administration may divert temple revenues to other religions.

Previously, temples earning between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh annually contributed 5% of their net income to the Common Pool Fund, while those with incomes exceeding ₹10 lakh allocated 10% of their net income to the fund.

Also Read: Karnataka temple bill passed—Know features, controversies, revenue collection system | Explainer

In contrast, in states like Kerala, temples are supervised by state-managed Devaswom (temple) Boards.

Furthermore, in 2021, the government of Uttarakhand relinquished control over 51 temples and shrines, such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri.

(With inputs from agencies)