District level committee with Hindus-Muslims to manage shrine of Gurudattreya Bababudan Swamy: Karnataka to SC

New Delhi: The Karnataka government has told the Supreme Court that a Cabinet subcommittee led by Home Minister G Parameshwara decided to form a district-level committee to manage the Sri Gurudattreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah Institution of I D Peetha (lnam Dattatreya) of Chikkamagaluru district, revered by Hindus and Muslims.

During the deliberation on March 19, 2025, the Principal Secretary to Government, Revenue Department has stated that, proposed institution is the composite institution worshipped by both the religions.

The state government said the Cabinet subcommittee submitted its recommendations in order to maintain communal harmony and stand as an example of being a secular state.

"This would not infringe on the rights of any of its citizens and put an end to the dispute among all the stakeholders," it said.

It is required to perform rituals and traditions of both the religions by maintaining the law and order locally and that a permanent solution can be found by constituting a committee by giving equal representation to both the religions under the supervision of the District Administration, according to an affidavit filed by the state government.

Accordingly, the Cabinet sub committee decided the district level committee must be constituted in order to manage the proposed institution, consisting of Deputy Commissioner as Chairman, Superintendent of Police and Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayath as permanent member, Shakhadri as the permanent nominated member, equal number of members from both the Hindu and Muslim communities, nominated from the government including permanent Shakhadri. The executive officer of the institution would be the member secretary of the committee.

As per the decision, the rituals of the institution (daily and during special occasions) will be notified by the state government on the basis of the recommendations of the district-level committee. Archaka and Muzavar will be appointed by the state government as per the recommendation of the district committee. And the executive Officer would manage the institution under the guidance of the district committee, it said.

The state government constituted the Cabinet subcommittee on January 20, 2024, for the purpose of furnishing a report for proper adjudication of the pending matter before the apex court.