Dharmasthala Row: Shivakumar Mocks BJP's Sept 1 Rally VHP Seeks NIA, ED Probe Citing AI Visuals, Foreign Funding

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Tuesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliates orchestrated a“smear campaign” against the revered Dharmasthala temple, even as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded a central probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The row has escalated after sensational claims of mass burials and sexual assault at the centuries-old shrine, later found to be false, triggered political sparring and public unease.

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The controversy was sparked when a complainant, identified as C N Chinnaiah, alleged that dozens of bodies-including women showing signs of sexual assault-had been buried in Dharmasthala over two decades. His claims pointed fingers at the temple administration.

However, Chinnaiah was later arrested on charges of perjury after investigators found his allegations unsubstantiated. The state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which exhumed skeletal remains at a couple of forested sites along the Netravathi River , though no direct link to the temple administration has been established.

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The Vishva Hindu Parishad accused“vested interests” of orchestrating an online misinformation campaign against Dharmasthala, allegedly using AI-generated visuals and foreign funding running into crores of rupees.

VHP secretary Sharan Pumpwell called for the NIA and ED to track financial trails and identify those responsible, claiming that banned groups such as the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political wing SDPI had indirectly supported the campaign.

Memoranda have been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah through district officials, urging swift central intervention.

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Shivakumar, addressing reporters in Bengaluru , claimed the controversy was a result of an internal rift within the BJP.“It is the BJP and its associates who conspired and tried to smear a black mark on Dharmasthala,” he said, urging the temple custodian Veerendra Heggade not to allow the shrine to be misused for political purposes.

He also criticised the BJP's planned“Dharmasthala Chalo” rally on 1 September, calling it an attempt to exploit devotees and stir unrest.“Do your rally in Bengaluru if you want to. Don't drag devotees into politics,” he remarked.

Also Read | Dharmasthala case: Siddaramaiah says SIT chief will be replaced if... How have Dharmasthala temple authorities responded?

Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari (custodian) of the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple, welcomed the SIT probe, echoing the government's call for truth and transparency. Both the BJP and the temple administration have stressed the importance of protecting the shrine's sanctity amid the political storm.

What lies ahead in the Dharmasthala row?

With the SIT still investigating and political parties trading charges, the controversy shows no sign of abating. While the VHP seeks national-level probes into alleged foreign involvement, the Congress government accuses the BJP of fomenting discord.

For now, the spotlight remains on whether central agencies will intervene, and if the row will deepen ahead of the BJP's 1 September rally in Dharmasthala.

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