Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
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 baseless allegations by BJP leaders are aimed only at misleading the public and polarizing people along communal lines for political leverage.
BJP leaders should be ashamed of their unethical practices. Their disservice to the people of Karnataka will never be forgiven.
By misleading the public,BJP leaders want the youth of the country to abandon their jobs and fight an imaginary war,solely to benefit the BJP politically.
It is clear that the @BJP4Karnataka has reserved their State President post for those who are inclined to lie. @BYVijayendra seems to be a good fit for the post,or perhaps he is competing with other BJP leaders to retain it.
Shame on Vijayendra! His credibility as a leader is plummeting, much like the Indian Rupee under Narendra Modi.
