The decision of the Bihar State Board of Religious Trust (BSBRT) to run a special drive for the registration of temples, that are not private in nature, and levy a tax of four per cent on the total income, has invited sharp reaction from devotees.
The temples constructed by private individuals on private land which are open for common people are also included in this order. All such temples will have to be registered with BSBRT which has started a special drive for the identification and registration of such temples. BSBRT has asked collectors of all districts of Bihar to identify all such temples which are not registered.
BSBRT has been collecting taxes from temples from 1950 onwards but controversy erupted afresh after smaller and private temples were included in the tax ambit.
Member of BSBRT Mahant Vijay Shankar Giri said that all such private temples where are open for common people will come under the purview of tax. BSBRT said that it was a service charge, not a tax.
“But people are hardly aware that BSBRT had brought an amendment in 2006 to define the private temple and the public temple. At that time it was clarified that if a private temple is opened for darshan for all then it will no more be treated as a private temple. Earlier, the maximum tax on the total income of the temple excluding daily expenditure was 5%. But BSBRT has fixed a universal slab of 4%,” one of the members of the temple management committee of a prominent temple of Patna told OpIndia.
Notably, BSBRT follows the Bihar Hindu Religious Trust Act 1950 where there are provisions for tax on the income of the temple.
A former member of BSBRT confirmed about 2006 amendments. He said that other criteria of taxable temples are that they must have a drop-box for donation and seek donation through coupons as well. “Amount collected from such temples are used for renovation of neglected temples. Temples registered with BSBRT has many benefits,” he justified.
So far there are around 4600 temples across Bihar that are registered with BSBRT which are now being run by trust or sevait (temple attendant). These temples have landed properties. For instance, the Ram Janki Hanuman temple at Babubarhi in Madhubani has 125 acres of land under its possession.
But people managing small temples in villages said that all these temples depend upon donations from the public. “Now the Nitish Kumar government wants small temples to pay taxes. Even to replace a fused bulb and to buy a broom we are dependent on donations,” said Madan Kumar Jha Madhup, a resident of Darbhanga who is associated with the management of one such temple.
People are angry with the government for offering freebies to minorities and taxes for Hindus. They termed it as a kind of Jizya tax imposed on Hindus.
“At most of these temples, priests offer their service for free. Call it a service charge but still, this is a tax,” Deepak Lohia another Hindu devotee.
Land Reform minister gives explanations
As the decision has sparked protest, Bihar Land Reform and Revenue Minister Ramsurat Rai said some people were trying to create confusion. He said that BSBRT, Law Department, and Land Revenue Department had held a meeting for the better management of religious places in Bihar.
“Temple management in Bihar is very poor and it has been seen that properties donated by our forefathers for temples are being sold by caretakers. So we want to strengthen the law to protect temples’ properties so that same is utilised for the maintenance of the temple,” the minister said. He said that no decision was taken on the imposition of tax.
RJD MLA Alok Mehta supported a 4% tax and said that money should be utilised for the public welfare and development of Bihar. BJP MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur Bachaul on the other hand said that in the past also temples had to pay taxes. “But we are now thinking on the proposal to exempt temples from taxes. Like government extends support to other religions, it should extend similar support to temples and the Kabir monastery,” he added.
