Cong govt worked under influence of 'tool kit' in the Dharmasthala case: Pralhad Joshi

Hubballi (Karnataka), Aug 28 (PTI) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday accused the Congress government in Karnataka of having worked under the influence of a "toolkit" in the case related to the allegations of multiple murders, rapes, and burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.

He also demanded a court-monitored probe into the case.

"In the Dharmasthala case, without application of mind, the Congress government in Karnataka has played under the influence of a toolkit, to bring down the shradda (faith) and bhakti (devotion) of the people towards various Hindu pilgrimage centres. This is a well-planned one," Joshi, also a senior BJP leader, said.

He said, "When the complainant had come with a skull and a few bones to give a complaint, even though the Dakshina Kannada District Police at that time had suggested an inquiry against him, his background and his claims, without doing that Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted." Alleging attempts to defame Dharmasthala and other Hindu pilgrimage centres of the country, the Union minister said, "Congress party is always anti-Hindu, I strongly condemn them." Responding to a question, he said, "SIT is investigating the case, but there should be a court-monitored investigation." A controversy erupted after a complainant, later identified as C N Chinnaiah and arrested on charges of perjury, claimed burying a number of bodies, including those of women with signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala over a period of past two decades, with the implications pointing towards the administrators of the local temple.

The BJP had protested against targeting the temple. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had also warned of action if the complaint was false. Veerendra Heggade, the Dharmadhikari or the custodian of the temple, too, has welcomed the constitution of the SIT.

The SIT excavated at multiple locations identified by the complainant in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, to see if there were human remains. Some skeletal remains were found at two sites.

Regarding Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement that Chamundi Hill is not the property of Hindus alone, Joshi said his statement was "irresponsible" and only aimed at "appeasement".

"He is trying to balance, after being targeted left, right and centre from within the Congress party for singing the RSS prayer song in the Assembly recently," he added. PTI KSU ADB