Mangalore: In a press meet attended by his group of congress men, B Janardana Poojary a senior D.K congress leader on Thursday ruled out state control over hundreds of temples and Mutts now remaining outside the purview of HRE (Muzrai) department of the state Govt.
He said C.M Siddaramayya was doing a good job but he should not harass Mutts and Swamijis or temples and their trustees as a C.M. Some of the temples and Mutts are doing a lot of social services and giving food and education to the people and the children. The Govt. should not interpreter or step on the sentiment of people in religious matters, as the congress manifesto before elections did not refer to such interference with religious institution like Mutts and temples in Siddaganga, Mysore or Udupi and else were which spend crores of Rupees on education and health and food for the people at large. Poojary was unhappy about state controlling religion which is not within its administrative state parameters.
Speaking about arecanut and the union Health ministry’s advice to the Center to ban arecanuts as a food item, Poojary condemned the wrong advice given by the health ministry to the union Govt. to ban arecanut as a cash crop. He pointed out that arecanut was harmless and its juice was a cleaning agent for the mouth for generations of people. Arecanut was used in religious ceremonies and in wars between 2 kingdoms since long. There was no dangerous chemical within the arecanut which grows in a hundred varieties of size and contempt, he explained.
Several congress leaders of DKCC were present on the occasion.