Hindu groups say BBMP removed 2,500 graves; want Lokayukta to visit spot

BENGALURU: Hindu organisations have claimed that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has removed 2,500 graves and built an office and sports complex at Goripalya near Chamarajpet in the city.

The Hindu organisations claimed 2,500 graves were removed from the Hindu burial ground in Goripalya on the instruction of local MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan to build the BBMP office and sports complex in JJ Nagar ward. The five acres of Hindu burial ground for Kannadigas, Tamils and Telugus has been destroyed, and a BBMP building has been built, they alleged.

People of Goripalya depend on the electric crematorium.

The Vishwasanatana Parishath and Sri Rama Sene have taken up the issue with the Lokayukta. The organisations have requested that Lokayukta officials inspect the spot and threatened that if the officials fail to do so by on March 6, they will hold a silent protest in front of the Lokayukta office. They also claimed that there is no space to bury the dead in the cemetery and that only three to four tombs have been preserved. There is an electric crematorium near the new BBMP building, they pointed out.

Oblesh, a local resident

“For the last 50-60 years, it was  a Hindu burial ground for Kannadigas, Tamil and Telugu people. There is no space and now everyone goes to the electric crematorium to burn the bodies. We have to adjust if we need to bury the bodies as per tradition”, said Oblesh, a local resident.