Mass grave row: K'taka govt backs Dharmasthala, will take action against those who misled, says Minister Hebbalkar
Speaking to the media in Udupi on Saturday, Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said, 'Our government stands with Dharmasthala. The unknown complainant is narrating hundreds of fictitious stories. We will not spare those who misled the government.'
'Dharmasthala is a sacred place. Attempts are being made to defame it. Despite the excavation of burial sites one after another, nothing substantial has been found. The government will always stand with Dharmasthala,' she added.
'A bundle of lies was propagated on social media about the temple town. Later, the BJP picked up the allegations and is now shedding crocodile tears. The matter was discussed at both national and international levels. Those who indulged in defaming Dharmasthala will be punished,' Hebbalkar stated.
'The investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is progressing. Many have been levelling accusations and attacking the government. To put an end to speculations and allegations, Home Minister G. Parameshwara constituted the SIT. The issue was raked up deliberately, and it should end now,' she said.
'Let the BJP make claims on hundreds of issues. The party is behind the unknown complainant and the masked man. The SIT has been formed to put an end to all the drama surrounding this matter. I am a devotee of Lord Manjunatha. I have unflinching faith in the sacred Dharmasthala pilgrimage centre. I fully endorse the statement of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar,' Hebbalkar added.
'The government is committed and concerned. Dharmasthala is a place where 'Dharma' is upheld. Let all actions that bring disrepute to Dharmasthala come to an end,' she stated.
She also urged that justice should be delivered in the Sowjanya murder case and in other cases reported from Dharmasthala.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated on Friday that action will be initiated against those who indulged in carrying out propaganda against the Hindu pilgrimage centre Dharmasthala in the alleged mass grave case.
'The government is considering taking action against those who have lied and spread misinformation in connection with the Dharmasthala case,' he had announced.
Dy CM Shivakumar said, 'This is not a matter for or against Dharmasthala. All procedures must be carried out lawfully. I have observed Dharmasthala very closely. I have faith and confidence in the devotion, reverence, and practices there. I believe that in the coming days, the investigation will reveal the conspiracy that took place. Regarding this matter, our Home Minister G. Parameshwara will present the facts before the state by responding in the Assembly.'
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP unit launched the 'Dharmasthala Chalo' campaign on Saturday morning to counter the alleged conspiracy surrounding the mass grave case. The campaign was flagged off at the Nelamangala toll on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
In a major development, on July 11, the unidentified complainant in the case, who is a lower caste Hindu, had claimed that he was forced to bury several bodies of women and girls who were raped and murdered in Dharmasthala village. He appeared before a court in Karnataka's Mangaluru district and recorded his statement.
The man gave his statement before Principal Civil Judge and First Class Judicial Magistrate.
The development has sparked a major controversy.
He requested that the police exhume the bodies in his presence. Even as 17 burial sites were excavated, the authorities could not find any strong evidence.
Retired Supreme Court judges and activists demanded a SIT probe monitored by the Supreme Court or the High Court into the shocking case, allegedly involving many women, girls and destitute men.
While the state government has followed the rule of law and allowed a probe into the alleged mass murders, the Opposition BJP has accused it of giving in to anti-Hindu forces and demanded an interim report from the Home Minister.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Yelahanka MLA takes out ‘Dharmasthala chalo' rally
The 'Dharmasthala chalo' rally, led by senior BJP leader and MLA for Yelahanka S.R. Vishwanath, reached the temple town from Nelamangala on Saturday. The rally had been taken out to oppose 'smear campaign' and 'slander' against Dharmasthala Manjunatha temple and its administration in the backdrop of the ongoing SIT investigation into the alleged burial of bodies in Dharmasthala village more than a decade ago. The rally reached here ahead of BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra's scheduled visit to the temple on Sunday. Many BJP MLAs and some MPs are expected to join Mr. Vijayendra during his visit. Mr. Vishwanath led a convoy of about 400 vehicles carrying his supporters. The convoy, which left Nelamangala on Saturday morning, reached Dharmasthala at around 3 p.m. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Vishwanath said the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the allegation, cannot go on excavating new places shown by the complainant and malign the sanctity of Dharmasthala. Some people, including YouTubers, were using the case to defame Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, other MLAs, and Pattadhikari of Kshetra Dharmasthala D. Veerendra Heggade, he said. The SIT probe was being used to target the reputation of the temple and Mr. Heggade. After submitting the preliminary report to the government, the SIT should do a thorough inquiry of the complainant and find out those who were behind him in this 'sinister campaign'. The SIT should probe into the funding behind the campaign, he said. No excavation done on Saturday Meanwhile, the SIT did not excavate any alleged burial sites on Saturday. The complainant was questioned at the SIT office in Belthangady. A few witnesses, who have claimed of seeing the complainant burying the bodies, were also questioned, the SIT sources said. So far, the SIT has excavated 17 sites, many of them were in and around the Snana Ghatta (bathing ghat), near Dharmasthala. A plain site near the vented dam at Snana Ghatta, a site off the road leading to Bahubali Betta, and a revenue site near Dwarakashrama in Kanyadi were the other sites that were excavated.
The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Catholic priest's presence at RSS event in Pala raises eyebrows
At a time when the Catholic Church in Kerala has been voicing concern over attacks on Christians in central and northern States of India, the participation of a priest from the Pala diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church at an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has raised a few eyebrows. Father George Nellikunnu Cherivu Purayidom, director of Care Homes project under the Pala diocese and Deepika Friends Club, presided over Shankholi 2025, a student summit jointly organised by the Poonjar, Meenachil and Ramapuram units of the RSS on August 15. Addressing the gathering, Father Purayidom said that it was the generation inspired by India's spiritual heritage and the freedom struggle that went on to shape modern India. Today's younger generation must strive to project the nation's glory on the world stage, making effective use of organisation and technology. The keynote address at the summit was delivered by Desheeya Adhyapaka Parishat State vice-president Jigi Mash. However, the event has already raised a few eyebrows within the Catholic Church, especially in the wake of recent attacks on nuns and priests from Kerala in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, allegedly by Sangh Parivar activists. 'This only reflects how sections of the Catholic clergy remain insensitive to the sufferings of their fellow believers in BJP-ruled states,' observed another priest, reacting to the priest's presence. The instance has also triggered debates on social media and within the Catholic community. When contacted, Fr. Purayidom clarified that he had attended the event with the knowledge of Pala Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt. 'I decided to attend since the programme was related to Independence Day. I went there on the organisers' invitation and delivered a speech on the theme of the event. There is no need to misconstrue this in any other way,' he explained. Commenting on the issue, Fr. Jhoseph Thadathil, Vicar General of the diocese, maintained that the priest must have attended the event in his personal capacity. 'The diocese, as a matter of principle, does not interfere in the affairs of any political organisation, nor does it extend support to any. The diocese has nothing to do with the event, even if the said priest attended it,' he clarified.
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
ED raids across two cities over reopened case against Tamil Nadu minister, DMK says bid to deflect from ‘vote chori'
Officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched simultaneous searches on Saturday at the properties of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy, his family members, and linked premises in Dindigul and Chennai, reviving a years-old disproportionate assets case that had been dismissed but was recently reopened by the Madras High Court. About a dozen ED officials, split into three teams and backed by armed Central Reserve Police Force personnel, arrived at three residential locations in Dindigul — Durairaj Nagar, Vallalar Nagar, and Seelapadi — around 7:30 am. Local DMK cadre quickly gathered near the sites as police tightened security. The searches targeted the minister's home, as well as that of his son and Dindigul East MLA I P Senthil Kumar and his daughter Indra. In Chennai, ED teams conducted searches at Periyasamy's official bungalow on Greenways Road under heavy Central Armed Police Force protection. Officers also visited the MLAs' hostel at the Government Omandurar Estate. Periyasamy, a senior leader of the ruling DMK, his wife Suseela, and sons Senthil Kumar and Prabhu had been acquitted by a Dindigul trial court in a Rs 2.01 crore disproportionate assets case dating back to 2006–2010. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption alleged that the family had amassed assets in excess of their known income during his earlier tenure as minister. The acquittal was overturned in April by Justice P Velmurugan of the Madras High Court, who ordered a fresh trial. The family has appealed in the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for August 18. The DMK responded sharply, framing the raids as politically motivated and timed to distract from what the party called the BJP's own electoral misconduct. 'This is an attempt to divert attention from vote chori (theft),' said DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi, invoking a phrase used by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to describe alleged fraud. In a formal statement, Bharathi said: 'The BJP stands exposed for indulging in electoral fraud by using the Election Commission. The country is shocked over this. To divert attention from the illegal vote chori, the Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches at premises linked to Periyasamy.' Bharathi said the DMK 'would neither fear the ED nor Modi,' and accused the BJP of weaponising state institutions: 'The BJP was using empowered and autonomous bodies as its election instruments.' While the ED has not disclosed the specific trigger for Saturday's searches, the revival of the disproportionate assets case has heightened political tensions as Periyasamy remains an influential figure in the DMK. The outcome of the Supreme Court hearing next week could determine whether the disproportionate assets case proceeds to trial again.
