After protests, Karnataka scraps order to stop development work at temples; Muzrai minister issues ‘clarification’ | Bengaluru News

BENGALURU: In what is being interpreted as a damage-control exercise, the state muzrai department on Friday withdrew a controversial circular that had sought to bring all development work in temples to a complete halt until further notice.
While principal opposition BJP threatened to raise the pitch against the government on the issue and proHindu organisations termed the initial circular as “anti-Hindu”, muzrai minister R Ramalinga Reddy clarified that the government never intended to stop development work at temples and had only sought a status report on ongoing work.

According to reports, the minister had sought a detailed report from the muzrai department by August 30 on the quantum of funds approved for each temple under the previous BJP-led government, the amount of funds released so far and the current status of the projects.

On August 14, the Muzrai department issued an order, asking all deputy commissioners and district officers of the department to stop ongoing development work in temples that are under the government’s purview.

Reacting to the controversy, Reddy said: “The order has been withdrawn. We were only looking at the status of the funds being allocated for the renovation work and did not intend to stop ongoing work at temple premises.”

While one Muzrai department official said “misinterpretation” of the minister’s demand for a status report led to all development work at temples coming to a grinding halt, BJP and Hindu organisations blamed the government for “playing politics with faith”.
In Belagavi, former Muzrai minister Shashikala Jolle hit out at the government’s a ction, claiming that the first instalment of funds for renovation of temples was released during her time, but the second instalment could not be released due to the model code of conduct that came into force this March in view of the May assembly elections.