‘Only Hindus must be allowed to do business near temples’

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Mandir Mahasangh has urged the state government to restrict business activities near temples during fairs and festivals to individuals of the Hindu faith. A memorandum outlining this demand was submitted to Ramalinga Reddy, Minister of the Religious Endowment Department, on Tuesday. The memorandum also included a set of resolutions adopted at the State Level Temple Convention held earlier this month.

The delegation, led by state coordinator Mohan Gowda, included legal advisor Ravishankar, Bengaluru district coordinator Dr. Mahesh Kumar B.N., and several other representatives.

A comprehensive survey should identify and remove private individuals and non-Hindus encroachments on temple lands, with judicial disputes resolved through fast-track courts. The government should strictly enforce existing orders banning the sale of meat and alcohol near temples and pilgrimage sites. Following Supreme Court directives, private temples under government control should be returned to their rightful heirs within six months, and legal barriers should be removed to allow private participation in the development of smaller temples Funds donated by devotees should be exclusively used for temple development and restoration. Minister Ramalinga Reddy responded positively to the memorandum, assuring the delegation that the government is already implementing many of these rules. He further pledged to address the remaining concerns in a phased manner. The Karnataka Mandir Mahasangh had previously organised a State Level Temple Convention on January 4–5 in Basaveshwar Nagar, Bengaluru, which saw the participation of over 800 temple trustees and priests from across the state.