Latest news with #SRVishwanath
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Siddaramaiah should resign: BJP; Opposition politicising Dharmasthala issue: Congress
BENGALURU: Even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues its probe into alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala, the Opposition BJP and Ruling Congress leaders are engaged in a political slugfest. While the BJP has urged the State Government to take steps to stop the alleged smear campaign in the name of SIT probing the case, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hit back by accusing the saffron party of trying to politicise the issue. Leader of Opposition in Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should apologise to the people of Karnataka and resign. He said that since the SIT has not found anything during the probe, the government has realised its mistake, and Shivakumar is now saying there was a conspiracy against Dharmasthala. Narayanaswamy said that the people who were involved in the smear campaign in Sabarimala are working against Dharmasthala, and the Congress is working like a Communist Party. He urged the State Government to arrest the anonymous complainant, who claimed that he had buried bodies. The BJP leader alleged that the SIT is working as per the directives of the anonymous complainant. On Sunday, Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra, Chalavadhi Narayanaswamy, MLA SR Vishwanath, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and party office bearers from the coastal Karnataka region will visit Dharmasthala. BJP workers headed by MLA SR Vishwanath who started a massive rally from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala reached the holy town on Saturday. Meanwhile, Chief Whip of the Opposition in Council N Ravi Kumar urged Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara to place before both Houses of the Legislature the interim report of the SIT probe and remove the misgivings that have already set in the minds of the people. The government should set a deadline for the SIT to complete the probe, he said.
Deccan Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Complainant must undergo narco-analysis test: BJP leader
Mangaluru: A 'Dharmasthala chalo' rally launched from Bengaluru under the leadership of Yelahanka MLA and senior BJP leader S R Vishwanath in response to a "smear campaign" in social media against the Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara temple reached Dharmasthala on Saturday evening. Participants in the rally had a darshan of the presiding deity and offered special to mediapersons, Vishwanath said, 'Once the SIT investigation report is submitted, the complainant witness should be thoroughly investigated. He must be made to undergo a narco-analysis test.'"The complainant witness is now claiming that he has buried bodies of rape and murder victims. Why did he not reveal this then? He could have stopped more murders if he had given this complaint immediately. Hiding a murder is also an offence equal to committing a murder,' the MLA said. 'Why is the complainant witness covering his face? Why isn't the SIT revealing his name? We have information that he is a converted individual and is said to have been married three times,' Vishwanath also severely criticised YouTubers and raised suspicion of an "international conspiracy" in the case. 'From where do they get money? I have apprehension that they might be receiving funds from foreign countries,' the MLA said.
Hindustan Times
09-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Dharmasthala: Two new informants claim to have witnessed burials
Two new informants have met officers of the special investigation team (SIT) probing the claims about mass burials of alleged victims of murder and sexual assault at Dharmasthala, alleging that they had seen a body being buried at a new location, police said. ASpecial Investigation Team (SIT) examining the site in the Dharmasthala mass burial case in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. (PTI PHOTO) Meanwhile, the SIT is continuing its search for human remains in the Dharmasthala mass burials case, with renewed efforts based on new tip-offs. A fresh excavation was carried out at the Bahubali hills on Saturday, which yielded no results, police officers said. The team dug a 20-feet by 20-feet trench to a depth of about 10 feet under a dry tree, but no bodies or remains were found. A detailed search operation about 15 feet away from the previously marked Point 16 also yielded no evidence. So far, the investigation has involved excavations at 16 different locations. Skeletal remains have been found at Point 6 and 10, while the search at Point 13 was suspended due to technical issues. 'The recent events in Dharmasthala are disappointing. There is a malicious campaign being run against Dharmasthala. Dharmasthala is a sacred and revered place, and we stand firmly with it,' said BJP MLA SR Vishwanath in Chikkaballapura district's Gauribidanur. 'Lord Manjunathaswamy of Dharmasthala is very powerful; people fear to act against him. Yet, false propaganda is being spread about the holy shrine. Therefore, on August 16, we will organise a massive 'Dharmasthala Chalo' rally from Yelahanka to Dharmasthala,' he said. 'Over 200 cars with saffron flags will participate under the slogan 'We are with Dharmasthala'. We will visit the deity and return. After this, similar campaigns will begin in other parts of the state,' Vishwanath added. On the anonymous informant's claim in the mass burial case, he remarked: 'If the person says he buried victims of rape and murder, then he himself should be hanged first. If he knew about such crimes and still buried the bodies, he too is guilty. He should be punished before anyone else.' 'Some people are trying to gain attention by spreading lies that hundreds of bodies were buried in Dharmasthala. This has hurt Hindus across the country. The anonymous person must be arrested,' demanded former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa in Shivamogga. 'There is a deliberate attempt to insult the Hindu community and create suspicion about a sacred place like Dharmasthala. The state government must immediately find out who is behind this. One person claims to have buried hundreds of bodies in 13 places. Could he have done it alone? Which anti-national and anti-religious group is backing him?' he asked. Eshwarappa further said: 'There is a conspiracy to spread false propaganda about Dharmasthala. The anonymous person has failed to show the burial sites. The state has already issued an order allowing the questioning and arrest of anyone connected to this matter.' 'There must be a thorough investigation,' he added.
