The Karnataka government is in a bind over the amendments sought to be brought forth to the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, which will enable it to exercise a certain degree of control over Hindu religious mutts and administer such of those that are mismanaged.
Counsel for the government, appearing before the Supreme Court in a case pertaining to State control over mutts, has conveyed that the government will bring forth legislation to bring mutts within the ambit of law and the court has since adjourned the case for hearing on January 13.
The proposed Bill was introduced and tabled in the Legislative Assembly during the Belagavi session that concluded a week ago.
Having initiated the first steps, the government is now in a Catch-22 situation with serious opposition to the legislation, particularly from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which, incidentally, was a party to the move a few years ago.
The former Governor M. Rama Jois, who headed a high-powered committee set up in 2007 for the very same purpose, had recommended that the mutts be brought under the purview of the Act.
Categorical announcementAt a meeting of the State Cabinet held after the serious opposition to the proposed legislation, the government categorically announced that it would “withdraw” the Bill, although technically a Bill introduced and tabled in the Legislative Assembly cannot be withdrawn unless it is replaced by another. The government can, however, refrain from moving the Bill for consideration, by virtue of which the pending Bill will cease to have any value.
It should be noted that the proposed amendments, as made out by Minister for Law T.B. Jayachandra provide for government intervention in only exceptional circumstances. “It is not the intention of the government to interfere in the autonomy or management of the mutts.”
Incidentally, two major mutts — the Sosale Vyasaraja Mutt and Kudli Mutt — have urged the government to appoint an administrator on grounds of the maladministration therein.
There are an estimated 2,000 mutts in the State and around 300 of them are major ones, in terms of the number of people following, their influence, and their assets. Some of them are several centuries old and have branches in several States. Interestingly, the government has little knowledge on the mutts, including their functioning, since very few of them are registered under the societies Act.
There are nearly 36,000 temples under government control but the mutts have remained out of its purview due to the resistance put up, so far. A similar situation prevails in several States and it has been so, largely, due to the political influence that they enjoy. Given the difficult situation in which it is placed, it is imperative for the incumbent government and particularly Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to call for an all-party meeting and thrash out a solution to go ahead with the proposed legislation to facilitate a regulation in administration of mutts.
Added to this will be the discussion on the floor of the legislature wherein the government can hear out the views of the Opposition and suitably modify the legislation.
