‘Congress, Siddaramaiah have politicised Dharmasthala issue’: Karnataka LoP R Ashoka

BENGALURU: Karnataka Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Bharaiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA R Ashoka on Thursday said that it was Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that have politicised the Dharmasthala issue and not his party.

He insisted that the issue was being politicised by the Congress and said that they would visit Dharmasthala to extend their support as Hindus.

“It is not the BJP. It is the Congress which is politicising Dharmasthala; Siddaramaiah politicised it. When the complaint was received, the procedure states that the background should be checked to investigate the matter. But they did not follow it. Dharmasthala belongs to all Hindus in India and around the world. On September 1, we will be going to Dharmasthala as Hindus, not as BJP,” Ashoka told reporters here.

The BJP leader objected to International Booker Prize winner and renowned Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq’s plans to visit Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple, accusing Siddaramaiah of indulging in vote-bank politics.

“Why Banu Mushtaq? Does Karnataka have no Hindu writers? Siddaramaiah is doing vote bank politics, Banu Mushtaq is Muslim, and Islam prohibits murti pooja,” Ashoka added.

His remarks follow those of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who on Tuesday slammed the opposition BJP in the state, accusing its leaders of politicising the Dharmasthala issue.

He appealed to Rajya Sabha MP Veerendra Heggade not to allow politics in the name of religion. Heggade is the Dharmadhikari (hereditary administrator) of the Dharmasthala temple and is a BJP-nominated member of the upper house of Parliament.

“BJP is doing Dharma war, doing politics in the name of religion. When we formed the SIT (Special Investigation Team) to probe the (Dharmasthala) matter, they all welcomed it. I appeal to Dharmadhikari of the Dharmasthala temple, Veerendra Heggade, please don’t allow this politics to happen there. The place should not be spoiled,” Shivakumar said while addressing a press conference here.

As the BJP calls for a ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally on Sept 1, the Deputy CM alleged a conspiracy in the Dharmasthala case, claiming that it was the BJP that was trying to “destabilise Dharmasthala”.

Moreover, on renowned Kannada writer and activist Banu Mushtaq, inaugurating Mysuru Dasara, Shivakumar defended the government’s decision to invite her and said that the Hindu festival of Dasara was celebrated by all religions.

“Dasara is a festival for all. In all Hindu temples, minorities also visit. We go to Masjids and Churches. Who can stop it? It’s a government decision. We’ve invited her. Dasara is being celebrated by all religions. It’s everyone’s belief,” the Deputy CM said. (ANI)