Congress workers protest against BJP, JDS in Bengaluru over Dharmasthala issue

BENGALURU: The Congress workers on Monday protested against the BJP and Janata Dal Secular workers in Bengaluru, who have been demanding a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the alleged mass burial case in Dharmasthala.

The protesters alleged that BJP was creating a false narrative against the Congress-led Karnataka government and confusing people in the name of the Dharmasthala issue.

Meanwhile, BJP hold a national convention in Dharmasthala in response to the alleged mass burial controversy in the region.  BJP workers, devotees of Dharmasthala, and devotees from Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Karkala, Belthangady, and the surrounding areas of Dharmasthala will be arriving.

Earlier, Vijayendra demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the Dharmasthala case, calling for a ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally on September 1.

Vijayendra said that a ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally would be held on September 1, urging people to visit temples, offer prayers, and participate in processions before heading to Dharmasthala. A public meeting is scheduled there at 2:00 PM.

“The government’s handling of the Dharmasthala issue has tarnished its reputation, and a thorough investigation by the NIA is essential to uncover the organisations and malicious forces behind the controversy,” Vijayendra said at a press conference in Bengaluru.

He warned that such forces could conspire against other Hindu temples in a similar manner.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of its planned Dharmasthala Chalo rally, accusing the Opposition of politicising religious issues.

In a post on X, CM Siddaramaiah wrote, “The BJP people are weaving a new strategy of a religious pilgrimage to Dharmasthala. They politicise everything. Let them go on the yatra if they want. The formation of the SIT has been welcomed by Shri Kshetra’s Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade himself. The SIT has been formed for the reason that the truth must come out. Otherwise, there would always have been a controversy regarding Dharmasthala. The SIT has been formed to dispel this doubt.”

Siddaramaiah stated that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established in response to demands from several organisations and had even been welcomed by the BJP earlier.

“The complainants have gone before the court and given statements under 164. Many organisations had demanded the formation of the SIT. The BJP people had also welcomed this. Now, they are politicising it. They don’t even know the interpretation of religion. Is there a need to hand over the Dharmasthala case to a higher-level investigation? When the BJP was in power, which case did they hand over to the CBI? Full independence has been given to the SIT, and it has been instructed to complete the investigation and submit the report. I feel that no other investigation is needed at present,” he said.

The complainant, who alleged that he had been forced to bury multiple bodies in Dharamsthala, was arrested by the SIT after forensic analysis showed the bones he produced were of a man and not a woman, as he had claimed. He has been remanded in custody for 10 days. (ANI)