Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 23: Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) has expressed strong reservation and resentment at the way the government hurriedly moved The Karnataka Religious Structures Protection Bill 2021. It observed that the bill was tabled after the officials demolished a temple at Nanjangud, Mysuru district, unilaterally, and the government is trying to douse the anger of Hindu organizations by hastening the bill in a kneejerk reaction.

HJV and the Sangh Parivar leader, Jagadish Karanth, termed the bill which he said has been tabled in a hurry to hoodwink the angry Hindus as it has been prepared without detailed preparations. He commented that the bill does not have any of the points which can satisfy the purpose for which the Supreme Court passed the said order, and this apparently is an attempt to cool the anger of Hindus for the time being.

"HJV can never accept this bill in its current form. HJV was insisting that the Supreme Court order should be implemented. We wanted that before evicting any temple, the locals should be consulted. We never aimed at opposing the Supreme Court order. We had opposed the way the temple was brought down like a public toilet. Now, we do not feel that the Supreme Court will uphold the half-cooked bill of the government," he added. He demanded for the honourable withdrawal of the bill as he felt that even the governor may not approve the bill in its current form.

Karanth noted that the government made Mysuru MLA S A Ramdas, to withdraw a private bill which he planned to table in the house. He asked the state government to move separate bill that is aimed at protecting Hindu temples and thereby win the confidence and faith of the Hindus. He said that under the current bill, in the name of religious buildings, structures may come up in public places by misusing the provisions. "It is wrong to regularise all the religious structures at a stretch. Even the court will not accept lit," he explained.

He said that the government is replicating the stupidity displayed by the officials at Mysuru, duly noting that the government has not taken any steps against the erring officials who twisted the Supreme Court order to their convenience and hurt Hindu sentiments. He wondered why the government is siding with these officials and why no action is being taken against them.

He demanded stringent measures against the officials who demolished the temple, and provide one crore rupees fund for the temple reconstruction. If these demands are not met, HJV will undertake strong agitation on September 28, he stated.