Bengaluru: Karnataka Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy has countered BJP’s criticism of the Siddaramaiah-led government over temple fee hikes, accusing the opposition of “intellectual bankruptcy” and spreading misinformation in the name of religion.
“The so-called ‘Dharmarakshak’ BJP, which claims to protect Hindu faith, had itself increased puja and service fees in 24 temples between 2019 and 2023,” Reddy said on Saturday, releasing a list of temples where rates were revised under the previous BJP regime.
The list includes prominent shrines such as Sri Veerabhadra Swamy Temple (Nelamangala), Sri Mahalingeswaraswamy Temple (Kavur), Sri Prasanna Nanjundeswaraswamy Temple (Nanjangud), Sri Dodda Ganapathi Temple (Basavanagudi), and Sri Kumaraswamy Temple (Hanumanthnagar) among others.
No government diktat, says minister
Reddy clarified that under the present Congress government, service fees were revised only in 14 temples — and that too on the request of temple management boards. “Out of 35,554 temples in the state, only 14 saw revisions after 7–15 years. The money collected will go towards temple upkeep and development. The government has not interfered,” he stressed.
‘BJP misleading people’
Slamming the opposition for “politicising religion,” Reddy said: “Those who project themselves as pro-Hindu mislead the public for votes. Let them at least take off their masks. May God give them the wisdom not to ignite tensions between communities.”
ರಾಜಕೀಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಧರ್ಮದ ಪಾಲನೆ ಇರಬೇಕು, ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜಕಾರಣ ಮಾಡಬಾರದು.
ಇದು ನನ್ನ ಮತ್ತು ನಮ್ಮ @INCKarnataka ಪಕ್ಷದ ಬದ್ಧತೆ.ಧರ್ಮ, ದೇವರು ಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವವೇ ಇಲ್ಲವೆಂಬ ದುಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯದ @BJP4Karnataka ಪಕ್ಷ ತಲುಪಿರುವುದು ನೋಡಿ ಮರುಕ ಪಡಬಹುದಷ್ಟೇ.
ನಮ್ಮ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಟೀಕಿಸುವ ಮೊದಲು, ನಿಮ್ಮದೇ ಸ್ವಘೋಷಿತ… https://t.co/mY6ndyMpZ9 pic.twitter.com/twDJINPIfr
— Ramalinga Reddy (@RLR_BTM) September 20, 2025
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