Bengaluru, Dec 27 (IANS) Charging the Congress-led Karnataka government over handling of the alleged Dharmasthala mass murder case, the State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Saturday, asked that who will pay the price for the malicious propaganda against the Hindu pilgrimage centre.
Speaking at a press conference held at the state BJP headquarters “Jagannath Bhavan” in Bengaluru, State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra has said that the handling of the alleged Dharmasthala mass grave case and the alleged conspiracy to hurt Hindu sentiments had triggered discussions at the state, national and even international levels.
“There has also been discussion on the mental harassment caused to devotees of the Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Temple due to malicious propaganda. Acting on the demands of so-called urban Naxals, the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) formed an SIT overnight,” he said while criticising the state government.
“The BJP, through the ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ (March towards Dharmasthala) movement, created awareness and brought the Karnataka government’s irresponsibility to the notice of the people,” Vijayendra added.
He asked whether it was right for the Chief Minister to take decisions that hurt the sentiments of crores of devotees by listening to people on the streets.
Who will pay the price for the malicious propaganda, BJP leader Vijayendra asked, adding that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who hurt Hindu sentiments, has not apologised till date.
“Instead, CM Siddaramaiah has washed his hands off by claiming that whatever he did was right,” Vijayendra said.
He criticised that the sinister forces behind the conspiracy have not been exposed.
The alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case refers to allegations and claims circulating about the existence of mass burials in and around the Dharmasthala region, which led to political controversy and public debate in Karnataka.
The issue gained prominence after allegations were made suggesting the recovery of skeletal remains, triggering claims of a larger conspiracy and raising concerns among devotees of Sri Manjunatheshwara Temple.
Vijayendra further charged the Congress government, saying, “The Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is following ‘anti-Hindu’ policies and is doing injustice to the state in the name of guarantees.”
He said that earlier, those involved in illegal transportation of cattle had to seek bail from courts after being arrested by the police and having their vehicles seized.
The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government, Vijayendra alleged, made preparations to allow police to grant bail at the police station itself and release seized vehicles on bonds.
He asked whether this was not an ‘anti-national’ act and whether it did not hurt Hindu sentiments.
Why such sympathy for them, Vijayendra asked, alleging that the Karnataka government had stooped to an unforgivable low for minority appeasement.
The State BJP President said that even Ministers had warned in the state Cabinet that such a move would cost Hindu votes, following which the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill was not introduced.
Vijayendra criticised the Congress-led Karnataka government for talking about intolerance while passing a Bill related to hate speech in the House without allowing discussion.
He termed it an act of recklessness and alleged that the Congress-led Karnataka government brought the Bill to cover up its failures and to prevent the BJP, JD-S, private individuals and the media from criticising it.
He alleged that the Karnataka government was conspiring to send people to jail for nine to 10 years for criticising the hate speech bill on social media, calling it an “anti-democratic” move.
Drawing a parallel with the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975, Vijayendra said the Karnataka government had brought a law that would recreate those dark days.
This was a symbol of intolerance and amounted to the murder of democracy, the State BJP President added.
–IANS
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