Published Nov 03, 2022 | 2:59 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 03, 2022 | 2:59 PM
For representational purposes only. (Supplied)
The above is from a notification inviting open tenders by the Karnataka government’s Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department aka Muzrai Department.
The notification, reserving only the footwear stand at the temples for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (SC and ST) communities, drew severe flak with Opposition leaders and activists deeming it ‘casteist’ and perpetuating the oppressive concept of caste-based jobs.
The controversial tender notice issued on 31 October was later withdrawn. (Twitter: Priyank Kharge)
The call for tender, signed by the executive officer of Basavanagudi’s famous Sri Doddaganapathi and cluster temples in Bengaluru, was published on 31 October.
The notice invited open bids for various commercial activities in and around the temple.
The activities included setting up stalls selling puja articles, taking care of the footwear of devotees visiting the temples, collecting coconut chipped as part of puja rituals, installing and operating fun rides for children at temple-owned open spaces, etc.
The open tender was scheduled for 16 November. While all other commercial activities were marked as ‘general’ — meaning anyone could bid — only the tender for guarding the footwear was ‘reserved’ for the members of the SC and ST communities.
Chairman of the Karnataka Congress communication cell Priyank Kharge held the BJP government oppressive and anti-Dalit for limiting the reservation of guarding footwear only for SCs and STs. He opined that the move was the BJP government’s “celebration of untouchability” and “perpetuation of Manusmriti”.
ಮುಜರಾಯಿ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮಿಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಟೆಂಡರ್ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ, ಚಪ್ಪಲಿ ಕಾಯುವುದು ಮಾತ್ರ ದಲಿತರಿಗೆ.
ಇದು ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಅಸ್ಪೃಶ್ಯತೆ ಆಚರಣೆ, ದಲಿತರನ್ನು ಚಪ್ಪಲಿ ಕಾಯಲು ಸೀಮಿತಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಮನುಸ್ಮೃತಿ ಪಾಲಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ. pic.twitter.com/tKiPkbGy5U
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) November 3, 2022
The Karnataka government on Wednesday, 3 November, withdrew the tender call as outrage swelled. A senior official in the Muzrai department told South First that an explanation has been sought from the executive officer-in-charge of the temples.
“The officer misinterpreted a 2016 government order that mandates reservation to SC and ST communities while auctioning tenders for commercial activities in temple-owned land. We have withdrawn the notice since it looks very bad,” the official added.
The BJP, too, referred to the 2016 government order to allege that it was the Congress government under Siddaramaiah that mandated reservation for maintaining footwear stands for SC and ST communities.
“ಈ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾವನೆಯನ್ನು ಕೂಲಂಕುಷವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿ ಆದೇಶ ಹೊರಡಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ” ಎಂದು ಆದೇಶ ಹೊರಡಿಸುವಾಗ @INCKarnataka ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಅಧಿಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿತ್ತು, @siddaramaiah ಸಿಎಂ ಆಗಿದ್ದರು.
ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಈ ಆದೇಶವನ್ನು ಹಿಂದಕ್ಕೆ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡಿದೆ, ಹಾಗಾದರೆ ದಲಿತರನ್ನು ಚಪ್ಪಲಿ ಕಾಯಲು ಸೀಮಿತಗೊಳಿಸಿದ್ದು ಯಾರು @PriyankKharge ಅವರೇ? pic.twitter.com/GMWf06wmZp
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) November 3, 2022
A closer look at the 2016 order and the orders that predated it, however, showed no stipulation that only Dalits or people from SC and ST communities should tend to footwear.
If anything, the orders insisted on providing reservations for Dalits-SC and ST communities in all commercial activities related to temples under the Muzrai department.
The 2016 order recalled the mandatory reservation of 20 percent to SCs and five percent to STs, as well as three percent to physically challenged persons for commercial activities in temple-owned properties.
The order, in response to a letter written to the Muzrai Department’s commissioner in 2016, insisted that the total 28 percent reservation for all open tender calls in temples should be extended to footwear stalls as well, especially in the eight Bengaluru temples under the department.
“The officer who gave the controversial notice should have applied for the order in its entirety and not just the additional specification,” the senior officer added. The department is now course-correcting.
