Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at the BJP over its planned ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally, accusing the opposition of politicising religious issues for political gain. His remarks came amid growing tensions around the alleged mass burial case at Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, “The BJP people are weaving a new strategy of a religious pilgrimage to Dharmasthala. They politicise everything. Let them go on the yatra if they want. The formation of the SIT has been welcomed by Shri Kshetra’s Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade himself.”
The Chief Minister emphasised that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed following demands from several organisations and had even been welcomed by the BJP initially. He reiterated that the SIT has been granted full independence to investigate the case and submit its report. “I feel no further investigation is needed at present,” Siddaramaiah added, ruling out the possibility of a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe.
The BJP, however, has strongly demanded that the case be handed over to the NIA. State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra announced a ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally on September 1, calling on people to visit temples, participate in processions, and attend a public meeting in Dharmasthala. He alleged that the government’s handling of the case had “tarnished its reputation” and insisted that only an NIA probe could expose the organisations and forces behind the controversy.
Vijayendra further criticised the government’s “haste” in addressing the issue, accusing the Chief Minister of making premature decisions without gathering adequate intelligence. Drawing parallels with the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, which claimed 11 lives, Vijayendra alleged the government was repeating its mistakes through publicity-driven actions.
Meanwhile, Home Minister G. Parameshwara clarified that the government would not interfere in the SIT’s functioning, stressing that the investigation would proceed independently.
The controversy deepened after the complainant, who had alleged he was forced to bury multiple bodies in Dharmasthala, was arrested by the SIT. Forensic tests revealed the bones he produced belonged to a man, not a woman as claimed. He has since been remanded in custody for 10 days, as investigations continue.
