Mangaluru: Opposition leader in the assembly, R Ashoka, claimed that the producer of the Dharmasthala conspiracy serial was the Congress. At the Dharmasthala Chalo mass convention organised by the Karnataka BJP at Dharmasthala on Monday, Ashoka said that the conspiracy against the Dharmasthala temple is a part of a toolkit against the Hindu religion.“Those conspirators have a list of many Hindu shrines, including Shabarimala and other temples, as their next target. This gathering is a part of ‘Dharma Yudha’. Many temples are on their target list. Now they have claimed that Chamundi Hill does not belong to Hindus. Can they make a similar statement in front of a mosque? Siddaramaiah is surrounded by a gang of urban Naxals,” he alleged.Lashing out at the Siddaramaiah govt, Ashoka said, “You have already swindled thousands of crores from the waqf properties in Karnataka. When will you hand over Chamundi Hill to the Waqf Board? Hindus in the state have been asking this.”Referring to the statements of Congress leaders that they will also visit the Dharmasthala shrine, Ashoka asked whether they have the courage to visit the place even after allowing the miscreants to tarnish the image of this temple and the family of Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade.On the Sowjanya rape and murder case, Ashoka said that it was during his tenure as the home minister a probe was initiated. Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra alleged that the Congress govt formed SIT even without checking the background of the person who made allegations against Dharmasthala. “If the chief minister has real concern, the Congress govt should have arrested those who have hurt the temple within 24 hours,” he said.The BJP’s stand on the Sowjanya case is that the case should be reinvestigated. Let the govt announce a reinvestigation and form an acquittal committee in the case, Vijayendra said, adding that the BJP will extend its complete support. MPs DV Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Tejasvi Surya, Capt Brijesh Chowta, and several BJP MLAs, MLCs, and leaders were present.Veerendra Heggade’s message“I greet all leaders and devotees who are gathered here. I would not like to speak much as a probe by the SIT is ongoing. For the past several days, several instances that damaged the reputation of the temple were being reported. All these developments have hurt us. However, there is no fear since we are walking on the path of truth and justice. I have welcomed the SIT probe from day one. Our request is that the truth should come out. Various political parties have stood in support of the temple. Devotees, who gathered here, are the asset of this temple,” stated Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari in a written statement which was read out during the convention.
