Don't take 'Dharmasthala Chalo' lightly, patience of devotees reached its limit: Karnataka BJP to Cong govt

Mangaluru, Sep 1 (IANS) Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, on Monday, warned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that if the Congress-led state government does not stop the propaganda against temple town of Dharmasthala in Mangaluru district, Hindu activists will not remain patient.

Speaking at the massive "Dharmasthala Chalo" rally organised by the state BJP unit to condemn the conspiracy against the revered Hindu pilgrimage site, he said the patience of Dharmasthala devotees has reached its limit.

BJP leader Vijayendra criticised the Chief Minister for only promising a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and demanded that the conspiracy against Dharmasthala be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

He warned the state government not to test the patience of Hindu society.

State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, he said, is aware of the leftist conspiracy against the site.

"The Congress has no respect for India's sacred land. Don't take 'Dharmasthala Chalo' lightly. May the Congress government receive good counsel from Lord Manjunatha," BJP leader Vijayendra added.

He said that the rally served as a warning to the "anti-Hindu, evil" Congress government.

He clarified that self-respecting Hindu activists had attended the protest voluntarily, without any payments.

The rally was meant to teach a lesson to the corrupt Congress government, he emphasised.

He also criticised the state government for not allowing officials to visit the house of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty in Mangaluru after his murder.

"For the past month, daily propaganda against Dharmasthala has been ongoing. The public expected the state government to act sincerely through the SIT, but it did not happen," BJP leader Vijayendra said.

He added that Dharmasthala is not a small temple; it is a sacred site visited by millions of devotees.

"The SIT, formed without understanding the background of Dharmasthala, cannot serve justice," he said.

"Those spreading propaganda should have been detained within 24 hours, but the Congress government failed to act."

He also demanded a re-investigation into the Suhas Shetty murder case and justice for the family.

Karnataka BJP Co-Incharge Sudhakar Reddy said the Dharmasthala region is sacred and the Congress is conspiring against it for vote-bank politics.

He criticised the state government for corruption and warned that God will ensure justice against leftist conspiracies.

He condemned past insults to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his family and demanded action against Tamil Nadu MP Shashikant Senthil for disrespectful remarks.

Opposition leader in Assembly and senior BJP leader, R. Ashoka, alleged that powerful groups behind the Dharmasthala case have links in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

He demanded that the NIA probe must unearth the conspiracy behind defaming Dharmasthala.

LoP Ashoka said Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's statement claiming that Chamundi Hill does not belong to Hindus provoked the devotees.

He claimed that CM Siddaramaiah is surrounded by "urban Naxals" and "anti-national" elements, and criticised the Congress-led state government for its political motives.

He urged the Hindus to unite against this "vote-bank toolkit".

Legislative Assembly Opposition leader and BJP leader, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, called for united action against the "Burude" (skull) government, which he alleged supported conspiracies to defame Lord Manjunatha.

He said that the state government conspired with leftist forces, and all devotees of Lord Manjunatha must resist these misdeeds.

Former Chief Ministers D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar, BJP National Yuva Morcha President and MP Tejasvi Surya, BJP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, state office bearers as well as former MLAs and district leaders, also participated.

Assembly member Harish Poonja welcomed the participants.

S.R. Vishwanath delivered the opening speech, highlighting that an "anti-Hindu" conspiracy has begun against the 800-year-old Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala.

Prior to the rally, a 'padyatra' (foot march) took place from the main gate of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala to the rally venue.

--IANS

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