After row, Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy withdraws order that suspended grants to temples

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: As the order suspending grants to Karnataka temples triggered controversy, Muzrai Department Minister Ramalinga Reddy instructed the officials to immediately withdraw the order suspending the grants. So protests against the suspension of grants by pro-Hindu organizations and BJP leaders were called off.

Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy confirmed to media and said that he has instructed the Commissioner to withdraw the order that stopped the grant of temples.

Ramalinga Reddy said, “The Commissioner of Muzrai Department was just confused. There is no doubt of any illegality in the department. The work of any temple is not going to stop. The commissioner of our department got confused after asking for the status report and clarified that he was misunderstood.”

Ramalinga Reddy further said that the religious endowment department (Muzrai) had instructed not to release the money if the temple renovation work has not yet started.

“If administrative approval has been given for the release of 50% of the funds, it has been told to stop it immediately and not to release the grant. Thus the Commissioner of the Religious Endowment Department issued three directives to all District Collectors,” he added.

Along with this, this order sparked anger in Hindu organizations. The BJP leaders had prepared to hold a protest. Following this, Ramalinga Reddy has now instructed the Commissioner of Muzrai Department to withdraw the order thus ending the debate.