The Hindu : Opposition to religious endowments Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Opposition to religious endowments Bill

By M. Raghuram

MANGALORE JUNE 7. The draft Bill on religious endowments has irked the managements of temples in Dakshina Kannada, and a legal battle against the provisions of the proposed law — the Uniform Endowment Act — appears imminent.

The Bill, which seeks to appoint a Commissioner for managing the day-to-day financial transactions and administration of temples and other religious places, seems to have irked religious heads in Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada districts, where many temples and other Hindu shrines are located. They feel that the move to appoint government trustees and commissioners for managing temple affairs will lead to corruption. According to them, the Bill, without modifications, will cause confusion and set off tussles between government-nominated trustees and other trustees.

Following protests against the draft Bill, the Government constituted a Joint Select Committee. Various parties in the Upper and the Lower Houses of the Legislature requested V.S. Acharya, MLC and an authority on religious subjects, to study the matter. In 2001, when the Bill was moved, Dr. Acharya felt that the Joint Select Committee should be clearer in its stand. However, the committee is examining suggestions for changes and for adding a few new clauses which may give the Bill clarity.

Many members of the Legislative Assembly feel that it is the right time to bring in the Hindu Religious Endowment Bill. Parts of Karnataka had been following the 1954 Hindu Religious Endowments Act of the erstwhile Madras Presidency, which Tamil Nadu scrapped in 1959 when it was found some provisions irrelevant. Although the Karnataka Government drafted a Bill in 1984, no follow up action was taken.

Over the past two years, about 60 leaders from the five administrative divisions of the State have met the Joint Select Committee on different occasions, and suggested changes in the Bill. Although this is the first time in the history of Karnataka that a new Religious Endowments Act is being enacted after discussion with religious leaders, a legal battle appears imminent because of "aberrations" in the Bill.

It has been suggested that though there should be government nominees on temple trusts, they should not have coercive powers, which they could use to overrule the resolutions taken by the hierarchal committee of trustees, or the managing committee constituted by devotees. Another important suggestion is to include "archaks" in the managing committees of temples as they will be in a position to monitor day-to-day proceedings and religious activities.

The select committee has recommended to the Government to reduce the payment to the Government from the "hundi" collections from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. This has been welcomed by religious leaders.

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