BENGALURU/MYSURU, 25 AUG

The BJP's 'Dharmasthala Chalo Yatra,' launched by its South Bengaluru unit on Monday, drew a large turnout of workers and leaders as the convoy began its journey to the famed temple town under the banner 'Dharmada Ulivige Dharma Yuddha' (A holy war to protect dharma).

The Yatra, led by Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy, commenced with prayers at the Sri Vinayaka Temple in Jayanagar 4th Block.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya flagged off the journey.

"Participated in the flag-off of the BJP Bengaluru South unit's Dharmasthala Chalo Yatra today at the Link Road junction, NICE Road. Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala, a revered spiritual centre that is the pride of our land, is now a victim of an organised conspiracy," Surya said in a post on 'X'.

He said the BJP unequivocally condemns the false propaganda being spread against the sacred shrine of Dharmasthala.

"We demand a CBI probe to unearth the larger conspiracy hatched against the temple and its administration. We were joined by thousands of karyakartas during the launch," he stated.

Umesh Shetty, Vice President of the Bengaluru South district unit of the BJP, was among the participants.

After reaching the temple town of Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district, leaders are scheduled to walk a kilometre to the Lord Manjunath Swamy temple to offer prayers and meet temple Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade to express the BJP's "complete support to the holy shrine".

The yatra comes amid a controversy that erupted after a complainant, later identified as C N Chinnaiah and arrested on charges of perjury, claimed burying several bodies, including those of women with signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala over a period of time, with the implications pointing towards the administrators of the local temple. The BJP had protested against targeting the temple. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had also warned of action if the complaint was false.

Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari or the custodian of the temple, also welcomed the constitution of the SIT.

Parameshwara says no to NIA probe 

Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the probe into the Dharmashtala mass burials case could not be handed over to the NIA.

“Who are we to dictate to the SIT on how to investigate the case?” he told the press in Mysuru. “I cannot decide if a narco-analysis test is needed or not. The SIT is investigating properly.”

He added that he cannot set a deadline for the SIT. “How can we dictate to them to finish to finish the investigation in this or that much time?”

Parameshwara defended the SIT team and said there was no need for the NIA.