MANGALURU: The state Muzrai Minister Kota Sriniva Poojary on Wednesday ordered to stop Tasdik allowance to mosques and madrasas.
The move came following severe opposition from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which said the government is using the temple fund for the purpose.
On Wednesday morning, VHP leaders Sharan Pumpwell and others submitted a memorandum to the minister in which they said they welcome the government’s decision to provide Tasdik allowance to the temple priests in view of Covid distress.
The VHP leader said the funds from the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department is also being used as Covid allowance to the moulvis of mosques and madarasas.
“In Dakshina Kannada, the Tasdik allowance is being given to 41 moulvis. The temple fund should be used only for temples and not for mosques and madarasas and it should be immediately stopped,” said the petition. The minister assured the VHP leaders that the order will be withdrawn.
Later, at around 6.30 pm, a DIPR statement said the minister has ordered to withdraw the Covid allowance that has reached the non-Hindus in the form of Tasdik.
The statement said the decision to this effect was taken following severe opposition from Hindu leaders and in social media to the muzrai fund being used for non-Hindu worship places. “We have information about Tasdik fund was being released to non-Hindu places of worship even before our government came to power. It will be stopped now,” the commisisoener said in his statement.
The note said that more than 27,000 Hindu temples are receiving a total of Rs 133 crore Tasdik allowance in a year. Out of this, 764 non-Hindu worship places were also receiving Tasdik. Based on minister’s instructions, steps will be taken to stop Tasdik allowance to non-Hindu places of worship places, the statement added.