In a move that has sparked widespread anger among devotees and temple trustees, the Karnataka government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has taken over the administration of the historic Gaali Anjaneya Temple in Bengaluru by transferring it to the Muzrai Department (Religious Endowment Department). This controversial decision, which excludes churches and mosques from similar scrutiny, raises serious questions about why Hindu temples alone are being systematically targeted and brought under state control.
As per Public TV, on Thursday, the Muzrai Department officially assumed control over the Gaali Anjaneya Swamy Temple, one of Bengaluru’s most revered and ancient places of worship. Thousands of outraged devotees, along with the temple’s entire trust board, including the president, staged a massive protest in front of the temple premises, demanding that the government revoke the order immediately.
Protesters accused the state government of executing a well-planned conspiracy to disrupt the independent and time-honored management of the temple, which has for decades operated with transparency and devotion. The trust members strongly alleged that those who were jealous of the temple’s development falsely linked them to a hundi (donation box) theft case as a pretext to seize control.
“Why is the government only targeting Hindu temples? Why are mosques and churches not brought under the Muzrai Department?” questioned agitated devotees and trustees. They further condemned the appointment of an executive officer (EO) by the Religious Endowment Department to override the temple’s existing management.
The temple’s management committee has expressed that this act is nothing short of an insult to Hindu traditions and devotees. They have announced their intention to file a case in the Karnataka High Court, challenging the state’s arbitrary and discriminatory decision.
For generations, the trustees have managed the temple, preserving its cultural sanctity and contributing to its growth. Now, without any due consultation, the government has forcibly taken over its administration, a move that is being widely viewed as an encroachment on Hindu religious sites.
Thousands of devotees visit the Gaali Anjaneya Temple daily. Despite the controversy, the government has claimed it will ensure that temple rituals and services continue smoothly. However, the question remains: Why are Hindu temples repeatedly targeted for state control while places of worship of other faiths remain untouched? Who are the forces behind this selective encroachment? Why is the Siddaramaiah government silent when it comes to mosques and churches?
The repeated targeting of Hindu temples under the guise of management reform is being seen by many as a systemic attempt to weaken Hindu religious institutions, seize their resources, and interfere with their internal affairs, all while hiding behind legal mechanisms. The coming days will likely witness a larger outcry and legal challenge, as this decision sets a dangerous precedent that could affect many more Hindu temples across Karnataka and beyond.
The Karnataka Congress government attempted to pass the HRCE Amendment Act, 2024, but it failed to secure approval in the Legislative Council. This is not an isolated incident; it is part of a recurring pattern of the Congress government’s attempts to exert control over Hindu temples in Karnataka. This is not the first time such an act has been pushed. Over the past few years, successive Congress regimes have repeatedly tried to pass similar laws that seek to centralize temple funds under government control. The intent has always been clear: to appropriate temple wealth, built by the faith and donations of Hindus, and divert it under the pretense of secular welfare, often sidelining temples in the process. These attempts have consistently excluded churches and mosques, raising serious questions about the so-called secular credentials of such policies.
