BANGALORE, NDIA, July 20, 2012 (India Today): The Karnataka government has decided to spend US$3 million to ensure that the state does not face a drought this year. However, the money is not being spent on drought-proofing measures, rather the government is handing out this amount for “special prayers and yagnas” to invoke the rain Gods. According to the government circular, each of the 34,000 Hindu temples under the purview of the department of religious endowments have to perform special yagnas — Varuna Homa and Jala Abhisheka — on July 27 and August 2 as the two days are considered auspicious. The government will grant between US$36 to $90 to each temple.
The opposition party leaders, who were able to grab a copy of the circular issued by the department of religious endowments, criticized the minister concerned for pushing “superstition”. “We agree that divine intervention is needed at every level. The state is facing a severe drought. All of us will join the BJP leaders in praying for the Almighty’s intervention. But spending US$3 million for the same is ridiculous. The government can utilise the same money for long-term drought proofing measures,” pointed out Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Revanna. Following widespread criticism, the government agreed to review its order. [HPI note: similar prayers at temples have worked just fine in the past elsewhere in India.]