JOIN USThe report submitted by the Justice H N Nagmohan Das Committee on Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah is one-sided. The government decision will be questioned by Datta Peetha Samvardhana Samiti in court, said MLA C T Ravi.
Speaking on Monday, he said the state government has accepted the Committee report and has submitted it to the Supreme Court, which has approved the same. In terms of disagreement with the report, the Supreme Court has provided to question in High Court.
The Committee has not considered the judgements of various courts and the records pertaining to the Revenue and the Muzrai Departments, he said.
Procrastination
The Supreme Court on March 3, 2015, had asked the state government to take a decision on the Peetha, by providing four months' time. But the government did not take any decision till March 19, 2018 so that the issue could be kept alive. The decision was taken at the time of elections to secure the vote bank, said Ravi.
"The report has suggested Shakhadri as the religious and administrative in-charge of the Peetha. But, the Shakhadri is facing allegations of misusing the assets of the shrine. A criminal case has also been registered against him, but, the report has not considered the point. The Shakhadri family cannot be accepted as the administrative head of the Peetha", C T Ravi said.
"The report was submitted to the Supreme Court, on April 2, after declaration of elections. As this is a sensitive issue, it might have repercussions on elections. It is not right on the part of the government to have submitted the report at this time. The BJP will submit a complaint to the Elections Commission, against the government," said the MLA.
Land and assets
As per the records, the 1,861-acre land is in the name of Lord Dattatreya. The 'Tastik' assets have been deposited in the account, in the name of the Lord. However, even after submission of related records, the Committee has not considered the same. Also, the report has rejected the proposal to appoint a Hindu priest at the shrine. The Committee has no power to submit a fresh report. It is constrained to scrutinize the report submitted by the Muzrai Department commissioner to the Supreme Court, in a sealed envelope, reminded Ravi.
As per the records dating back to 1818, the Dargah and the Datta Peetha are separate. Older land records indicate that Inam Dattatreya Peetha is situated at the ID Peetha, with Survey No 195 and Bababudan Giri Dargah is situated at Nagenahalli village in Survey No 57. The Dargah has encroached upon the land of Datta Peetha. The encroached land has been added the land to the list of assets owned by the Wakf Board. The move by the Board clearing the Datta Paduka, after taking over the Peetha, is unpardonable.
A committee headed by the Muzrai Department commissioner had submitted a report in 1988 regarding the mode of worship in the Peetha. It had suggested separately appointing priests, a dharmadarshi committee and administrative officers from different communities at the shrine. But, the advice has not been taken into account.
BJP leaders H D Tammaiah, Varasiddhi Venugopal and Kote Ranganath were present.