Mangaluru (Karnataka), Sep 1 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre stands firmly with the Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala, Veerendra Heggade, in connection with the alleged propaganda being spread against him and the temple town of Dharmasthala over the mass grave case. Veerendra Heggade is also a BJP Rajya Sabha member.

Addressing a massive gathering at the ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ rally organised in Dharmasthala, Pralhad Joshi said on Monday, “Revered Khavandare (Veerendra Heggade is addressed as Khavand), no matter what happens or what anyone does, you have the blessings of Lord Annappa and Lord Manjunatha. You are the support of crores of Hindu devotees. Along with that, you have the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government by your side.”

“Society should reject those elements that act against Hindus. Why does the Congress party target Dharmasthala? Historically, Congress has always taken stands against Hindus and practiced appeasement politics. It is in the blood of the Congress party to reject Hindu society and embrace appeasement,” Joshi alleged.

“They tried the same at Shani Shingnapur and Sabarimala, attempting to break the devotion of Hindus. Now, they have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Dharmasthala case. We welcome the SIT probe, but why didn’t the ruling Congress leaders first question the ‘mask man’, who filed the complaint? He should have been interrogated about where he got the skull he initially produced,” Joshi asked.

“If anyone exhumes a dead body, the Magistrate’s consent is required. When preparations were made to conduct a narco-analysis test on the complainant, the state government, within a day, handed over the case to the SIT and deputed three IPS officers.

“Will you dare interfere in matters of other communities? If I make an allegation today, will you carry out excavations? Do you think there is no one to question from the Hindu community? You dug at 17 alleged burial sites without stopping. Only when people across the state began spitting at your government did you halt it,” Joshi charged.

“This is a total conspiracy. For 35 to 40 years, despite repeated attempts, the Congress has failed to suppress the BJP and the Hindutva wave in coastal Karnataka. Now they want to target temples and religious leaders to weaken Hindutva. This is an evil conspiracy. From the days of Partition, Congress has stood with one section of society. For Congress, it is by appeasement, for appeasement, and to appeasement,” Joshi alleged.

“Dharmasthala is not revered by just one section of people. Devotees from across north Karnataka districts, many from backward communities, regularly visit Dharmasthala, tonsure their heads, and take the darshan of Lords Manjunatha and Annappa. The attempt is to weaken their devotion and project the controversy at the national level. It is a conspiracy,” Joshi claimed.

–IANS

mka/rad