BENGALURU: Pointing to years of neglect and delay, the Federation of Akhila Karnataka Hindu Temple Archakas, Agamikas and Upadhivanths has urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to approve the crucial amendments to the Muzrai Act which has already been passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature. It said once cleared, the law would allow richer A and B category temples to share their surplus income with underfunded category C temples in villages, which has been a demand for over ten years.
At a press conference on Sunday, the federation also raised alarm over large-scale encroachments of temple land, poor living conditions of priests and the need for monthly support to small temples. They have requested the government to take up a joint survey of these historic temples through the departments of archaeology and Muzrai and sought a budget of Rs 500 crore for their development and conservation.
A delegation, led by federation president Prof KE Radhakrishna and general secretary KSN Dixit, met the governor at Raj Bhavan on Friday and submitted a petition highlighting that more than 36,000 temples under the Muzrai department, especially in rural areas, lack funding and state support. Many of these rural temples are more than 300 years old and are deeply tied to the cultural and religious life of local communities. However, most lack even basic facilities, Radhakrishna said.
Highlighting the widespread encroachment of temple lands, Radhakrishna said nearly one lakh acres of land belonging to Muzrai temples have been illegally occupied across the state, including prime properties in cities like Bengaluru. The federation asked the governor to recommend setting up a special action committee, led by sitting high court judges, to implement the report submitted by former Muzrai secretary A Ramaswamy and recover the encroached lands within a fixed timeframe.
The federation also raised concerns about the safety and dignity of temple priests and workers. It demanded that the state frame clear rules of conduct to prevent abuse or harassment of priests and also requested the launch of a dedicated housing scheme for priests in rural areas and construction of basic facilities such as toilets and bathrooms near temples.
To maintain and improve temple services, it proposed the creation of training centres focusing on Agama traditions, temple rituals and management. These centres, it said, should operate as an official division under the department. Citing the rising cost of living, it also demanded that the government provide Rs 5,000 per month to small temples to cover daily maintenance and operational costs.