Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (EP/SP)

Bantwal, Aug 9: Referring to the withdrawal of earlier order of the government as per which Kollur temple had adopted Sri Rama educational institutions at Kalladka and Sri Devi educational institutions at Punacha, both of which are being run by his organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, said that the flow of funds from the temple was blocked by the government as part of its political conspiracy. He reminded the concerned that 94 percent of the students pursuing studies in these institutions belong to backward classes, scheduled castes and communities, as well as minorities.

"For us, providing food to the needy is a holy service. Stopping this service is something divine forces detest. This decision of the government has directly hit the hungry stomachs of children aged between three and 15 who study in these institutions. This is an immoral and unjustified act. Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister, B Ramanath Rai and chief minister, Siddaramaiah, are resorting to politics of vengeance," he stated.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday August 8, Bhat stressed that for the government, it should not matter who runs an institution. "I want the concerned to fight with me if they so want, not with the weak and poor children as it shows cowardice on their part. Any institution which serves the poor deserves to be assisted. The money in the temple belongs to devotees, and it should be used for serving the society," he opined.

Bhat said that he had approached for assistance along with 51 other schools, and educational institutions in the home town of former chief minister, M P Prakash, Hoovina Hadagali, and D K Shivakumar's hometown, Kanakapura, were also sanctioned assistance along with his own institutions. He pointed out that the chief minister has acted now only against his educational institutions and compared this action to an act that is against the Almighty.

Bhat accused Siddaramaiah, who takes pride in claiming himself to be championing the cause of minorities, backward classes and Dalits, of stopping assistance to institutions where most of the students belong to these categories. He said that he will continue to serve people in spite of whether the institutions get funds from the government or not, and that for the sake of these children, he will go to people with a begging bowl to pool money. He asserted that begging the government for reversal of its decision is out of question.

In the meanwhile, president of managing committee of Kollur Goddess Mookambika temple, Harish Kumar M Shetty, stated that the government order withdrawing grants to schools at Kalladka and Punacha has not yet been received by the temple authorities, and that the committee will be bound to follow the order once it is received. Deputy executive officer of the temple, Krishnamurthy, also said that as per government order, grants were being sent to these institutions by cheques every month, and that as soon as the temple gets orders from deputy commissioner and religious endowments department, the instructions would be complied with.

State muzrai minister, Rudrappa Lamani, said that as per law, there is no provision to provide grants to private educational institutions from temples falling under muzrai department. He said that when BJP government was ruling the state, order was passed to release grants to educational institutions run by Prabhakar Bhat and that he came to know about it during the visit to Kollur five months back. The matter was thereafter discussed and a decision to stop it was taken, he clarified, adding that the decision to stop grants has nothing to do with the recent communal disturbances in Dakshina Kannada district.