The government has directed that Go Puja (cow worship) be held in all temples under the state’s Muzrai Department on the occasion of Balipadyami (Diwali). The order was issued through a circular by the Department of Religious Endowments following oral instructions from Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy.

According to the circular, all notified temples under the Muzrai Department must organize traditional Gopuja on Balipadyami evening. “Cows are revered as Gomata in Hindu tradition and are considered sacred. They symbolize prosperity and are integral to our cultural and religious heritage. The festival aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and honoring cows,” the circular stated.

The department has instructed that cows be bathed, decorated with turmeric, vermilion, and flowers, and offered rice, jaggery, and fruits before performing the evening Gopuja rituals.

Minister reacts to assault on Veda student

Reacting to the recent assault on a Vedic student in Chitradurga, Minister Ramalinga Reddy condemned the incident as “inhuman” and assured strict action.

“There are 37 Veda and Sanskrit schools in the state two are run by our department, and the rest are managed privately. The behavior of the teacher involved in the Chitradurga incident is completely unacceptable. I have already directed officials to file a detailed report and take immediate action. Both the management and the teacher will face consequences,” the minister said.

Reddy lashes out at BJP

Later in the day, the minister hit back at the BJP’s allegations that the Congress government in Karnataka was diverting funds to influence elections in Bihar. Calling the accusation “laughable and baseless,” Reddy said,” Let the BJP answer how many states they sent money to when they were in power here. When four BJP chief ministers ruled, how many states did they fund during elections? They are the ones who buried the anti-defection law and became the source of corruption. Now they pretend to be saints.”

In a post on social media, Reddy added: “Karnataka BJP’s factory of lies is working overtime again! Their claim that our government is sending money for the Bihar elections is absurd. Their chain of lies never ends. Using black money in elections is their tradition, not ours.” Reddy further mocked BJP leaders including R. Ashoka, Narayanaswamy, B.Y. Raghavendra, and Vijayendra Yediyurappa, accusing them of spreading baseless propaganda.

“BJP’s accusations have no foundation. They build allegations without facts, like a house without a base. They have 700 people working daily just to spread lies. If they don’t spread fake news against us, they can neither eat nor sleep peacefully,” Reddy said sarcastically. The minister reiterated that the Congress government remains focused on governance and preparations for the upcoming BBMP elections, dismissing BJP’s claims as “politically motivated theatrics.”