Dharmasthala secret burials case: BJP MP Veerendra Heggade dismisses charges against family as ‘totally baseless'

Indian Express

6 hours ago

Breaking his silence on the allegations about his family in connection with the secret burials case, Karnataka BJP MP Veerendra Heggade, who is also the head of the Dharmasthala temple, said the controversy was the handiwork of people who are envious of the development work undertaken under the aegis of the renowned temple.
Heggade has come under attack from a section of social media users after the Karnataka Government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into allegations made by a former sanitation worker that he had been forced to bury several bodies of suspected sexual assault victims around Dharmasthala.
Heggade said that various claims made on social media had upset the devotees of the temple. 'They (YouTubers) created doubt, confusion and disturbance in the minds of these devotees,' he said, hoping that the SIT investigation would dismiss all incorrect claims made against Dharmasthala.
'It was a good decision of the Government to form the SIT. These issues were baseless,' he said. Heggade said that he was hurt by the allegations levelled against him during the ongoing probe around the temple town.
'My followers have immense faith in me. They have no doubt about the temple (Dharmasthala) or me,' he said, calling the allegations 'totally baseless'. 'It is not a moral way to fight with us.'
The MP, who is a Padma Vibhushan winner, also urged the Government to initiate action against those involved in the 'smear campaign' against the town. 'People are hurt by this. The Government should take strict action,' he said.
Social posts regarding investigation in the case have come under scrutiny after Heggade's family sought an injunction against over 8,000 posts, a majority of which were on YouTube and Instagram.
Two groups clashed near Dharmasthala earlier this month over the allegation that YouTubers had defamed the temple town.
On Monday, Home Minister G Parameshwara told the Legislative Assembly that the Government would take action against those spreading misinformation about the temple town.