What changes does the Karnataka Temple Bill propose? What are the disputes? Here is every detail covered

The Karnataka government intends to change the law governing the taxation of the Hindu temples in the country.  However, this attempt was not very well welcomed, and faced several backlash, especially from leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party. What are the changes proposed in the taxation of the temples in Karnataka?  What is the criticism that the move is facing? Let's understand.

The changes proposed

Multiple provisions of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act of 1997 have been targeted to be amended.
The very first change would be to divert the 10 percent of the gross income of the institutions having gross annual income to go beyond Rs 1 crore, to a common pool for the maintenance of temples. Earlier, the provisition was for the existing 10 percent of the net inckme of institutions with gross annual income going beyong Rs 10 lakh. 

The net income of a temple is calculated on the basis of the profits earned by the temple after accounting for the temple's expenses, while on the other hand, the gross income of a temple is simply the total amount of money made by the temple.
Moreover, a total of 5 percent of the income of the institutions that earn anywhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to the common pool is dedicated by the Bill. The Bill changes this existing income bracket from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. 

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It was in the year 2011 when the common fund pool was creates by the BJP, by making changes in the 1997 Act. 

In case the recent changes in the Act had been passed, these amendments would have led to the generation of a surplus of Rs 60 crore, from 87 temples holding incomes of about Rs 1 crore, and from 311 temples holding incomes of about Rs 10 lakh.

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Criticism against the changes 

The amendments thus proposed did not face a smooth response. In fact, the amendments are being criticized by many leaders. The Siddaramaiah government has been accused by BJP leaders of trying to "rob" the Hindu temples. The leaders question as to why only the Hindu temples of the country are targeted. 

BY Vinayendra, the state president of BJP expressed that crores of devotees demand a justification as to why only the incomes of the Hindu temples are being targeted by the government when the government is not interested in looking at the revenue of other religions. 

In response,  Siddaramaiah expressed that there has always existed a mandate to build a common pool ever since the enactment of the Act in the year 1997. It was further maintained that the common pool is administered only for religious purposes related to Hindu religion, and it will be used for the same reasons ahead as well.

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