Following the massive outrage across Karnataka after the demolition of a temple in the Mysuru region of Karnataka on September 10, the BJP government in the state has decided to pass a law in the legislative assembly that circumvents the 2009 Supreme Court order and brings the temple demolition drive to an end.
Amidst heated debate in the state assembly, the BJP government in the state managed to pass the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Bill, 2021 on Tuesday this week. The bill aims to stop the demolition drive of religious structures in the state in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order.
Introducing the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Bill, 2021, in the Assembly, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “The bill is aimed at protecting religious constructions on a public place constructed before the date of commencement of this Act, in order to protect communal harmony and not hurt the religious sentiments of the public.”
The law says that whatever may be the legal provisions of laws and irrespective of orders or guidelines by courts, jurisprudence and authorities, from the date of implementation of the ‘Karnataka Religious Structures Protection Act -2021’, the government will protect religious centres in accordance with the stipulated guidelines.
As per the bill, “religious structure” is defined as a “temple, church, mosque, gurudwara, Bodh vihar, Majar etc, constructed on a public place without authority of law”. The law also adds that “no religious structure and construction shall be allowed by the state government or any local authority in future on a public place”.
The enactment was passed unanimously, with no objection from Congress or JDS, but was criticised by the opposition leaders as a hasty attempt to compensate for the demolition of the Mysuru temple.
The government also admitted on the floor of the assembly that it was unaware of the demolition drive that led to the felling of the Mysuru temple. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamyv said the temple was razed down without the knowledge of the government by “over-enthusiastic” officials eager to carry out the SC order.
However, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, who had been a strident critic of the government for the demolition of the temple, said the BJP government brought the bill to protect religious structures under duress from right-wing groups linked to the party.
“They are bringing the bill now because of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike and right-wing groups who have brought pressure. I had tweeted and said the demolition should not have been carried out. They demolished the temple and are now seeking to protect it – this is odd,” Siddaramaiah said.
But Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was quick in dismissing Siddaramaiah’s contentions. He said from 2010 to 2019, when Congress was ruling in Karnataka, as many as 161 temples, masjids and dargahs had been demolished in Mysuru. “If you fix responsibility on ruling BJP for the demolition of a temple in Mysuru, who will you hold responsible for these demolitions,” he questioned the opposition, adding, “Words are dangerous, we should use them carefully over sensitive issues.”
Temple demolition in Mysuru creates a furore, BJP govt blames district administration for misreading the order
The demolition of a Hindu temple in Karnataka’s Mysuru district had triggered a massive controversy pitting the state government against the district administration.
After the video of the demolition went viral on social media several politicians including Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha and several Hindu organizations registered their protest against the overnight destruction ordered by a tehsildar.
Simha asserted that the district administration misread the Supreme Court order and were selectively targeting temples.
“The Supreme Court has said that only those structures that have come up in public places after 2009 will fall under its order. That too the Court said the structures should be demolished only if relocation or regularisation is not possible. Officers have to examine each case individually,” he said.
The temple was demolished in the wake of inquiry made by State Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar in August, asking the district administrators for a follow-up report on the pending demolition drive based on the Supreme Court and High Court rulings and the reasons behind the delay in implementing the order.
The Chief Secretary in a letter to Deputy Commissioners on July 1, 2021, stated that Karnataka has 6,395 unauthorized religious structures in public places. As of September 29, 2009, the number of such structures was 5,688, however in 12 years, the state was able to demolish, relocate and regulate only 2,887 of them.
Reportedly, as per the instructions, the district administrations were asked to demolish at least one illegal religious structure per taluk and per division every week. Thus began the demolition drive and many roadside structures were razed in pre-dawn operations.
