News Analysis India

Tag: Karnataka Assembly

  • Karnataka’s temple tax bill falls through in state assembly amid BJP uproar

    Two days after the Karnataka assembly passed the Hindu Religious Institutions & Charitable Endowment (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which rejigged existing matrix to collect more taxes from earnings of state-owned temples, the contentious bill fell through in legislative council Friday, with BJP and JD(S) joining forces to defeat it in a potential display of solidarity ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

    Political Maneuvering in Karnataka Legislative Council

    The Congress had ensured the smooth passage of the bill in the assembly as it has a majority in the Lower House. However, the BJP-JD(S) combine, taking advantage of their majority in the Upper House, threw a spanner in the works of the government and thwarted the proposal. The bill was rejected by a voice vote conducted by deputy chairperson M K Parnesh.In the 75-member legislative council, BJP has 35 members, including the chairperson, while JD(S) has eight. Congress has 29 members, besides an independent. Two seats are currently vacant.

    Though existing rules allow the government to reintroduce a bill in the assembly, Congress sources suggested the legislation could be pushed to the backburner until after LS polls and taken up again during the monsoon session in June.

    Contentious Provisions of the BillWhile the government reasoned that the bill, once enacted into law, would enable it to take a portion of revenues from temples with higher earnings and reallocate the funds to those with lower earnings, the BJP-JD(S) combine termed the move “anti-Hindu” and a ploy to seize a significant portion of temple revenues.Under the existing law, temples are divided into three categories based on revenues they generate. Temples earning more than Rs 25 lakh are classified as Grade A, those earning between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh fall in Grade B while the ones with earnings below Rs 5 lakh are designated as Grade C. The state has approximately 34,000 Grade C temples, besides 250 Grade B, and 67 Grade A temples.

    Currently, the government is allowed to allocate 5% of Grade B revenues and 10% of Grade A revenues to Grade C temples for their upkeep. The new legislation mandates muzrai temples with annual revenues of over Rs 1 crore to contribute 10% of their income to the common pool (Dharmik Parishad) and 5% to be paid by shrines with revenues of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore, & redistribute it among Grade C temples.

    Political Reactions

    Minister for Transport, Ramalinga Reddy, alleged that BJP is ‘anti-Hindu’ adding that the party which was in power in 2011 had made the amendments to the Bill.

    Minister for Health, Dinesh Gundu Rao, said that the BJP should realize the Bill is for the benefit of the temples.

    Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the allegations regarding the amendments to the Bill “appear to be misrepresented”, “aiming only at misleading the public” and “polarizing people along communal lines for political leverage.”

    Karnataka government passed ‘Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Bill 2024’ that mandates the state to collect 10 per cent tax from temples that have revenues exceeding Rs 1 crore and 5 per cent from those with revenues ranging between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

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  • Karnataka: Police detain former CM Bommai for protesting outside assembly against suspension of MLAs

    By Online Desk

    CHENNAI: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was detained by the police for protesting against the suspension of ten BJP MLAs from the assembly on Wednesday.

    Bommai was detained along with other leaders for protesting against the suspension of 10 party legislators outside the assembly.

    Speaker UT Khader suspended ten Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators from the rest of the assembly session for “indecent and disrespectful conduct” in the House.

    The ten members were suspended as they tore copies of bills and agenda and threw them at the Speaker’s Chair.

    The suspended MLAs were protesting against the government for deputing  30 IAS officers for welcoming the leaders of opposition parties who had arrived in Bengaluru for the meeting of opposition parties. 

    Sunil Kumar, R Ashok, CN Ashwath Narayan, Yashpal Anand Suvarna, D Vedavyas Kamath, Arvind Bellad, Araga Jnanendra, Umanatha Kotian, Dheeraj Muniraju and Bharath Shetty Y, have been suspended for this session. 

    #WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: BJP MLAs create ruckus in the Karnataka Assembly; shouting against State Government’s decision to depute IAS officers for an opposition party meeting held in Bengaluru(Video source: Karnataka Assembly) pic.twitter.com/ABRSTkf6OL
    — ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2023
    Rudrappa Lamani, who was occupying the Speaker’s Chair said, “I am naming them (the 10 MLAs) because of their indecent and disrespectful conduct,” following which Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the House responds to his “anguish”.

    “I am presenting this proposal…I request you that on this day under section 348 of the Karnataka Assembly Rules of Procedure, these members should be suspended from the Karnataka Assembly till the rest of the session for their indecent and disrespectful conduct, and should be barred from entering the House,” Patil said.

    Before adjourning the House for lunch, the Deputy Speaker also accused the BJP legislators of targettig him as he is from the Dalit community. 

    Dr G Parameshwara, the Home Minister of Karnataka, condemned the incident, saying, “We have laid out some guidelines, some rules in the house. House rules are there. Nobody prevents them to go and protest…But there is some basic discipline that they have to follow, attacking the chair is something we don’t see in the Karnataka legislature…And this has happened. It is unfortunate and we also appeal to the speaker to take some action.”

    After the suspension of the BJP MLAs, there was a ruckus outside the Assembly, and Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal fell unconscious. He has been taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and JD(S) gave a no-confidence notice against the Speaker.

    #WATCH | Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal falls unconscious following the ruckus outside the Karnataka Assembly. He has been taken to the hospital.10 BJP MLAs have been suspended for this session for throwing paper at the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and chair… pic.twitter.com/7sV4iv9VQo
    — ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2023
    Former chief minister Bommai, while protesting against the suspension, said, “This is the black day for Democracy. There was a murder of democracy today. They (10 BJP MLAs) have been suspended for their small agitation. We will fight for the right of the suspended MLAs.” He was subsequently detained by the police.

    CHENNAI: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was detained by the police for protesting against the suspension of ten BJP MLAs from the assembly on Wednesday.

    Bommai was detained along with other leaders for protesting against the suspension of 10 party legislators outside the assembly.

    Speaker UT Khader suspended ten Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators from the rest of the assembly session for “indecent and disrespectful conduct” in the House.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The ten members were suspended as they tore copies of bills and agenda and threw them at the Speaker’s Chair.

    The suspended MLAs were protesting against the government for deputing  30 IAS officers for welcoming the leaders of opposition parties who had arrived in Bengaluru for the meeting of opposition parties. 

    Sunil Kumar, R Ashok, CN Ashwath Narayan, Yashpal Anand Suvarna, D Vedavyas Kamath, Arvind Bellad, Araga Jnanendra, Umanatha Kotian, Dheeraj Muniraju and Bharath Shetty Y, have been suspended for this session. 

    #WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: BJP MLAs create ruckus in the Karnataka Assembly; shouting against State Government’s decision to depute IAS officers for an opposition party meeting held in Bengaluru
    (Video source: Karnataka Assembly) pic.twitter.com/ABRSTkf6OL
    — ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2023
    Rudrappa Lamani, who was occupying the Speaker’s Chair said, “I am naming them (the 10 MLAs) because of their indecent and disrespectful conduct,” following which Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the House responds to his “anguish”.

    “I am presenting this proposal…I request you that on this day under section 348 of the Karnataka Assembly Rules of Procedure, these members should be suspended from the Karnataka Assembly till the rest of the session for their indecent and disrespectful conduct, and should be barred from entering the House,” Patil said.

    Before adjourning the House for lunch, the Deputy Speaker also accused the BJP legislators of targettig him as he is from the Dalit community. 

    Dr G Parameshwara, the Home Minister of Karnataka, condemned the incident, saying, “We have laid out some guidelines, some rules in the house. House rules are there. Nobody prevents them to go and protest…But there is some basic discipline that they have to follow, attacking the chair is something we don’t see in the Karnataka legislature…And this has happened. It is unfortunate and we also appeal to the speaker to take some action.”

    After the suspension of the BJP MLAs, there was a ruckus outside the Assembly, and Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal fell unconscious. He has been taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the opposition BJP and JD(S) gave a no-confidence notice against the Speaker.

    #WATCH | Karnataka BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal falls unconscious following the ruckus outside the Karnataka Assembly. He has been taken to the hospital.
    10 BJP MLAs have been suspended for this session for throwing paper at the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and chair… pic.twitter.com/7sV4iv9VQo
    — ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2023
    Former chief minister Bommai, while protesting against the suspension, said, “This is the black day for Democracy. There was a murder of democracy today. They (10 BJP MLAs) have been suspended for their small agitation. We will fight for the right of the suspended MLAs.” He was subsequently detained by the police.