‘We have to raise voice against forces continuing with defaming Dharmasthala'
Talking at the 'Janagraha Sabhe' of the Dharmasthala Dharma Raksha Vedike in Bantwal, Mr. Shetty said concerted efforts were being made by a group to denigrate Hindu religious places. Forces have tried to denigrate many temples. The temple and the pattadhikari have involved in many benevolent and social empowerment activities and unfortunately they were being targeted by some vested forces, using the ongoing probe by Special Investigation Team into the complaint of mass burial of bodies in Dharmasthala.
Raising questions over the way the SIT was investigating into the mass burial issue, BJP leader Harikrishna Bantwal said the SIT has so far not asked the complainant about the place from where skeletal remains, which the latter produced before the magistrate at the time of recording his voluntary statement, were brought.
Former MLA Rukmayya Poojari and BJP leader Ramdas Bantwal also spoke.
Orator Chakravati Sulibele and activist Vasanth Giliyar took part in the 'Dharma Jagruti Sabhe' of Punyakshetra Samrakshana Samiti in the Shri Rama Bhajana Mandira in Malpe, Udupi.
While asking the State government not to bow down to pressure and pro-people organisations, they asked the government to allow SIT to do a comprehensive investigation into the complaint.
The statement was issued after members of the organisations held a roundtable discussion in Mangaluru. Apart from mass burial issue, the State government should ensure a proper inquiry into deaths of teacher Vedavalli in 1979, PU student Padmalatha in 1986, of deaths of siblings Narayan and Yamuna in 2012, and reinvestigation of Soujanya rape and murder case of 2013, the organisations said in the statement.
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