CM’s big Hindutva push: Majestic Ram temple in Vokkaliga bastion; Rs 1,000-cr for other Hindu temples

Bengaluru, Feb 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s pre-poll budget is targeted at pushing the Hindutva agenda of the BJP by announcing that the state government will build a “majestic” Ram Temple like the one in Ayodhya. 

Bommai said his government will build a Ram temple in Ramanagara district’s Ramadevara Betta city and spend Rs 1,000 crore for renovating and developing various temples and mutts in the next two years.

Bommai made the announcement as part of the 2023-’24 state Budget – the last one before Assembly elections are held in the state later this year.

In his Budget, Bommai, who is also the state’s finance minister, announced that a Rs 100 crore project has been formulated for various works to provide facilities for tourists visiting Koppal district’s Anjanadri Hill, which is considered the birthplace of deity Hanuman.

The chief minister also allocated a Rs 425 crore grant for renovating temples and mutts under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in 2022-’23, reported ANI.

Ramanagara, which is a part of Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region, is not considered among the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strongholds. It is the home district of Congress state unit chief DK Shivakumar but the constituency seat is represented by his Anitha Kumaraswamy, the wife of Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar said that there already a Ram temple in Ramanagara and asked what can Bommai do about that, reported ANI.

CN Ashwath Narayan, who is the minister in charge of Ramanagara district, had urged Bommai in December to constitute a development committee to build a temple at Ramadevara Betta on the lines of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

In his letter to Bommai, Narayna had demanded that Ramadevara Betta should be developed as the “Ayodhya of South India” and that it should be built on 19 acres of space that belong to the Department of Muzrai.

“Considering the religious feelings of the people of the district, it should be developed as a heritage and attractive tourist spot,” Narayan had said. “This would enable us to portray our culture as well as nurture tourism.”