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Karnataka temples to get autonomy
The Budget, presented on Friday, had shades of saffron as the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached out to the far right and its core support groups through the state’s finances in the face of upcoming elections
The Budget, presented on Friday, had shades of saffron as the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached out to the far right and its core support groups through the state’s finances in the face of upcoming elections.
“From prioritising cow welfare to providing subsidies for Kaashi Yatra, Bommai,” experts said, “was continuing his efforts to please the right wing as he clings on to power at their behest and against the growing challenges to his chair ever since he replaced BS Yediyurappa in July last year.”
Bommai touched upon demands by right wing groups for the government to cede control over temples.
“There is a long-pending demand to do away with government control on temples. By considering these demands of devotees, autonomy will be given to temples coming under the purview of the endowment department. Necessary legal action will be taken to delegate discretion of developmental works to the temples,” Bommai said.
The government announced Pavitra Yatra programme will be implemented through the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation to facilitate conducting tours to (the) pilgrimage centre at discounted cost. A subsidy of ₹5,000 per person will be provided to 30,000 pilgrims undertaking Kaashi Yatre from Karnataka,it was proposed.
Despite being from the Janata Dal background, Bommai has taken a hard right stand ever since he took over as CM in July last year, “justifying moral policing, hate crimes and even defending party colleagues like KS Eshwarappa who have been accused of fanning communal passion”.
With zila, taluka, panchayat, Bengaluru city corporation and the 2023 assembly elections ahead, the polarising narratives pursued by the BJP will result in consolidation of the core support base, analysts said.
After adopting 11 cows on his birthday, Bommai has now put forth a proposal allowing others to do the same at ₹11,000 per annum per bovine as the number of cows, on account of the anti-cattle slaughter bill, is expected to increase and the requirement to find them shelters also puts pressure on the saffron outfit.
A Bengaluru-based political analyst said the consequence of the anti-cattle slaughter will drastically increase the number of stray cattle as farmers do not have the means to care for them.
“Within two years, it will lead to what is happening in Uttar Pradesh. You cannot control them as farmers cannot maintain them. How many people will contribute to the adoption? And 100 gaushalas will not be enough as there will be millions of cows,” the analyst said.
Bommai has proposed to provide financial assistance to convert waste generated in gaushalas in state into eco-friendly products and increase the number of such shelters from 31 to 100.
Bommai also set aside ₹400 crore for extremely marginalised classes but balanced it out by continuing his predecessor’s policy to provide for dominant communities like Lingayats who were given ₹100 crore.
The Maratha community and the Kodavas,, both known to be backers of the BJP, were each given ₹ 50 crore and ₹10 crore, respectively.
“The government has taken certain decisions to please the Hindu voters. Taking out management of temples or subsidy to Kaashi Yatra is in line with that,” A Narayana, political analyst and faculty at Azim Premji University, said.
