Bengaluru: The State Cabinet on Saturday accepted the report of the three-member expert committee that had been set up to look into religious practices in the controversial cave shrine of Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru district. The panel had said that the shrine was not a wakf property and belonged to the Muzrai Department.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra said that the Cabinet decision will be communicated to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case related to the shrine and its religious nature.
The Supreme Court, in its order on September 3, 2015, directed the State government to decide the title claims over the disputed cave shrine Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swami Dargah. As the government delayed in taking action, Shah Khadri (hereditary administrator) had moved the Supreme Court.
The State government had then constituted a sub-committee headed by Mr. Jayachandra. The committee felt the need for an expert committee and conveyed the same to the Cabinet, which in turn constituted the panel headed by H.N. Nagamohan Das, retired High Court judge. Noted historian S. Shettar and writer and professor at Kannada University, Hampi, Rahmath Tarikere are members of the panel. The committee had been asked to deliberate on the Muzrai Commissioner’s report submitted to the Supreme Court, review the objections filed for the Commissioner’s report and listen to all parties after issuing notices.
