In a major show of strength, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka has organised a large rally to Dharmasthala on Saturday, August 16, with over 400 vehicles and thousands of supporters expected to participate.
Yelahanka MLA and senior BJP leader S R Vishwanath announced the plan on Friday, describing it as a move to protect Hindu temples and traditions amid what the party termed a “smear campaign” against the Dharmasthala Manjunatha temple and its Dharmadhikari, and Rajya Sabha MP Veerendra Heggade.
The rally participants will assemble early in the morning from different points including Vishwanath’s residence, Hesaraghatta, and Nelamangala toll plaza before proceeding towards Dharmasthala. Each vehicle will carry saffron flags, stickers with messages such as “Save Dharmasthala” and “Dharmasthala Chalo,” accompanied by supporters dressed in saffron stoles. Ambulances and mechanics will accompany the convoy.
According to Vishwanath, the rally will reach Dharmasthala by 3 pm, where participants will have lunch, seek blessings, and collectively take a pledge to safeguard Hindu rights and the sanctity of temples across Karnataka.
Top BJP leaders, including state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, and nearly 30–35 MLAs from coastal and Malnad districts are expected to join on Sunday. They will also meet Veerendra Heggade and extend the party’s support in light of the ongoing investigation in the Dharmasthala mass burial case where a former sanitation worker claimed he was forced to bury several bodies of women and children in and around the temple town.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has echoed the BJP’s claim that the case is part of a “big conspiracy” to malign Dharmasthala and its authorities. He said the government is considering action against those behind the “misinformation campaign,” adding, “I have known Dharmasthala closely and have faith in the place. I believe this conspiracy will be exposed in the coming days. The Home Minister will present the facts in the Assembly.”