Authors
Days after Basavaraj Bommai was appointed as Karnataka’s new chief minister, social media posts claiming he has directed Hindu temple funds to be used exclusively for temples, began circulating.
One such post received by Newschecker on its Whatsapp tip line for verification reads, “Historic move by K’taka’s new chief minister. In one of his first decisions, Karnataka’s new CM Basavaraj Bommai has directed that temple funds are to be used exclusively for the temples themselves, and using them for any non-Hindu religious purpose is now completely prohibited.”
This claim has been shared by many users on Twitter and Facebook as well.
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Fact Check / Verification
On 31 July OpIndia published a report titled, “Karnataka government notifies order barring the use of temple funds for non-Hindu religious purposes,” after which the above claim went viral on social media platforms.
The OpIndia report stated that the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) department released a notification on 23 July, “ordering the prohibition of diversion of funds from Muzrai department controlled Hindu temples to any other non-Hindu causes.”
This comes after the state Muzrai minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said funds of the Karnataka HRCE Department should not be used for allocating to religious institutions of other religions, earlier in June.
In a statement in reference to the matter, Poojary said, “We will not give one paisa of temple money to other religions. Money from temple devotees will be used only for the development of Hindu temples. Our government will develop temples through the department’s money and it will not be misused,” reported India Today.
Poojary also shared the news on his notification to prevent the use of HRCE department funds to other religious institutions on his Facebook page.
Local news organisations including Kannada Asia Net News and Udupi Times reported on Poojary’s notification on temple funds.
We reached out to Poojary’s personal assistant, Vivek, who confirmed that Poojary did indeed make the above statement (reported by India Today) in a note to the revenue secretary which was later reported by the media.
Poojary issued a government order on the same matter on 23 July, which was notified on 26 July.
Note that Yeddyurappa put his resignation on 26 July, and the order prohibiting the HRCE department’s funds for non-Hindu religious purposes was issued/ notified before current Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai took the office.
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Conclusion
Muzrai minister Kota Srinivas Poojary did issue an order prohibiting the Karnataka HRCE department’s funds for non-Hindu religious purposes. But this order was issued before current CM Basavaraj began his tenure.
Result: Misleading
Our Sources
Muzrai Minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary’s Order
Muzrai Minister, Kota Srinivas Poojary: https://www.facebook.com/1612071515745962/posts/3085242648428834/
Kannada Asia Net News: https://kannada.asianetnews.com/state/minister-kota-srinivas-poojary-orders-to-stop-hindu-temples-fund-using-mosque-madrasa-qufsm6
Udupi Times: https://udupitimes.com/udupi-times-4800/
Karnataka Government: https://erajyapatra.karnataka.gov.in/(S(ubvx2efxdhuxpbp1ksyweq3q))/RecentUploads.aspx?Category=6
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