Did Karnataka Govt allocate revenues from Hindu temples to minorities in 2024-25 Budget? Fact Check

Posted by: Sridevi P February 22, 2024

Soon after the 2024-25 Budget presentation of the Karnataka government, several social media posts surfaced online claiming that the Congress government has allocated funds to minorities from the tax money on Hindu temples in the state.

While one post said the state government allocated Rs. 330 crore to the Waqf Board and Christians, Hindus were not given any allocation in the budget. Another post claimed that Rs. 100 crore was given to the restoration of Waqf Board properties, Rs. 200 crore for the Christian community, and Rs. 393 crore for the minorities’ development corporation.

Here are some of the claims which appeared on social media:

FACT CHECK

When the Digiteye India team checked for relevant allocations in the Budget Copy presented in Karnataka Assembly, no such diversion of revenues from the Hindu temples was made. It may be noted that the state endowments Act (The Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Act, 1997), makes it mandatory to use earnings from Hindu temples solely for Hindu religious activities and not for other purposes.

No violation of this Act was made by the funds allocation in the 2024-25 State Budget. The direct allocations to Hindu temples and related developmental works crossed Rs.273 crore, besides undertaking and continuing the ongoing welfare measures for temple priests and others as seen below from the Budget extract:

On February 16, 2024, the Karnataka government’s budget allocated funds to minorities under various heads and also for Hindus under Religious Endowment as seen above. But all these allocations were made under respective categories, and some measures introduced by the previous BJP government were carried forward. No money collected from the revenues of Hindu temples was allocated to minorities under this budget. Secondly, the minorities included not only Muslims and Christians but also Jains and Sikhs and the allocations benefit all of them.

The details of the Budget further reveal that the Karnataka government also allocated funds for Hindu temples and religious activities, including the construction of residential complexes at pilgrimage centres such as Thirumala, Srisailam, Varanasi, among others. Besides, the Congress government continued the allocation of funds to temple priests that was taken up by the previous BJP government. “Tasdik amount paid to the priests of all 29,523 ‘C’ category temples will be remitted to their bank accounts,” states the Budget.

10% Revenue of Hindu temples

However, on February 21, 2024, the Karnataka Assembly passed a Bill to provide 10% of the revenue from the Hindu temples to the state exchequer to create a common pool for the religious purposes of Hindu institutions, which has triggered another series of claims that the Hindu temples are being taxed to provide welfare to the minorities. Karnataka State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied the argument and clarified that it was meant for Hindu institutions:

In a tweet he explained:

“The allegations regarding the Karnataka government’s amendments to the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Bill appear to be misrepresented for political gain. There has always been a mandate to create a common pool since the enactment of the Act in 1997. Before the recent amendment, the contributions to the fund came from:
(i) ten percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds ten lakhs rupees;
(ii) five percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds five lakhs rupees but does not exceed ten lakhs rupees; and
(iii) grants received from the State Government.
After the amendment, the contributions to the fund will come from (i) ten percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds one crore rupees; (ii) five percent of the net income of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds ten lakhs rupees but does not exceed one crore rupees; and (iii) grants received from the State Government. The recent amendment was made solely to enhance the amount of the common pool.
The common pool is administered solely for religious purposes connected with the Hindu religion. The Common Pool Fund has been utilized only for the religious purposes of Hindu institutions since the Act came into force in 2003, and it will continue to be used for the same purposes in the future.

It has not been utilized for any other purposes or for the benefit of followers of other religions. These provisions underscore a commitment to using temple funds for the welfare and upliftment of the Hindu community, directly contradicting claims of misallocation of funds for non-Hindu purposes or the imposition of unfair taxes.”

The next development of changing revenue contribution from the temples to 10 percent of revenues if above Rs. 1 crore, also follows the same reasoning put forward by the state government. Hence, the Karnataka government did not divert revenues from the Hindu temples to provide for minorities as claimed.

Claim: Karnataka government’s 2024-25 Budget diverts revenue from the Hindu temples to provide for minority welfare.
Conclusion: False, the funds allocated are from general pool and not from the revenue of the Hindu temples.

Rating: Misleading —

About Sridevi P

Sridevi, a business management graduate from Osmania University, Hyderabad has contributed fact-checks whenever she found time. She can be reached at telugu@digiteye.in

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