Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said there was no problem with a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Addressing reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, July 21, Yediyurappa said, “There is no wrongdoing in Dharmasthala. If a special investigation team wants to investigate, let it be done. There is no problem with that,” he said.
Senior BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan accused the Congress-led government of using the SIT as a tool to deflect attention from its failures. “The SIT has been formed to divert the issue against the government. They are trying to create suspicion and doubt on Hindu religious institutions,” he said. He alleged that the ruling government was attempting to malign religious establishments through baseless accusations. “Let justice be first given to the murder and rape cases that took place during their government,” he added.
The BJP leaders’ statements come against the backdrop of serious allegations made by a 48-year-old Dalit man, who alleged he was forced to bury the bodies of women and children in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014. He further alleged that some of the victims showed signs of sexual assault and submitted skeletal remains to the police. Following widespread public outrage, the Karnataka government announced the formation of the SIT on July 19. The team is headed by DGP Pronab Mohanty and includes senior officers MN Anucheth, Soumyalatha, and Jitendra Kumar Dayama.
The Dharmasthala temple administration issued its first response on the controversy on July 21, and welcomed the probe. “Truth and belief form the foundation of a society’s ethics and values. We sincerely hope and strongly urge the SIT to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation and bring the true facts to light,” said K Parshwanath Jain, spokesperson for the temple.
