Karnataka notifies Act to protect illegal religious structures

A viral video of a temple demolished at Nanjangud had caused a furore

The Karnataka government has notified the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Act, more than a month after it was passed by the legislature.

The Act provides protection for religious structures constructed in public places, and was passed after the state government came under fire for demolition of a temple in Nanjangud of Mysuru district.

According to the government, the notification was delayed as submission notice of the legislation was not signed by the Legislative Council chairman Basavaraj Horatti.

The BJP government was forced to introduce the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Bill, after a viral video of a temple demolished at Nanjangud caused a furore. The temple, was among the several religious structures demolished over the past few years, as part of a drive carried to vacate such structures from government lands. The drive was based on Supreme Court directions.

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Facing flak from the right-wing Hindu groups, the government passed the Bill in the monsoon session of state legislature. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had introduced the Bill with an objective to protect "religious constructions on a public place" before the commencement of the Act to "protect communal harmony and not hurt the religious sentiments."

Temple, church, mosque, gurudwara, buddha vihar and other structures constructed without permission were granted cover from demolition under the law. However, such structures built post enactment of the law are not eligible for protection as per the Act.

The law passed on September 21, was notified by the government on October 22. Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister J C Madhuswamy said that submission notice of the legislation was signed late by Horatti, following its passage in the Legislative Assembly and Council.