Mangaluru : The State government is trying to take over private Hindu temples in the State, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said on Thursday that the government should withdraw a circular issued in this connection.

Addressing presspersons here, zonal executive president, VHP, South Karnataka, M.B. Puranik, said that Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department on November 24, 2020 wrote to the Deputy Commissioners reminding them of a circular issued by the department on August 3, 2015.

This circular (issued in 2015) mentioned that the Assistant Commissioners should mandatorily get private temples registered under Section 53 of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Acts of 2011. In its November letter, the department has sought details from the Deputy Commissioners on the action taken and a report on the number of such private temples registered in their respective districts, he said. After the government wrote the letter recently, the officials have begun issuing notices to private temples, he added.

The VHP strongly opposes the process of issuing such notices, the circular issued by the then Congress government and the recent letter of the government based on the circular, he said. Mr. Puranik said that as per the notices issued to private temples, they will have to submit details of their immovable and movable assets, accounts and other details to the government. The notices have warned the temples that legal action will be taken if such temples did not furnish the details.

“It is a conspiracy to control and take over private temples,” he said and added that many private temples have involved themselves in different social works, including mass feeding and imparting education.

He said that the Minister for Endowment should take the issue seriously. And, the VHP is appealing to the government to withdraw the circular, he added.