Karnataka BJP delegation to meet Amit Shah

Bengaluru, Sep 8 (PTI) A delegation of the Karnataka BJP will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday night, the party state unit said.

"The delegation will submit a report to Amit Shah regarding the Dharmasthala issue. We will also discuss the Koppal incident and other cases of attacks on Hindus," a statement issued by the BJP said.

The Dharmasthala controversy erupted after a former sanitation worker alleged that while he was in service, he was, over a period of time, forced to bury several dead bodies, including the bodies of women, some of which bore marks of sexual violence.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), was formed by the state government to look into these allegations. SIT led excavations at several places, identified by the complainant-witness, along the banks of the River Nethravathi to see if there were skeletal remains. In two of the places, they found skeletal remains.

The sanitation worker, whose identity was not revealed earlier, was arrested later for perjury and identified as C N Chinnaiah. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said there was a conspiracy to defame Dharmasthala. The BJP has termed it a conspiracy to malign the temple and held a protest.

In Koppal, a 27-year-old youth leader Gavisiddappa Nayak was murdered on August 3. The BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

The delegation that will meet Shah include Opposition Leader R Ashoka, Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, MLA Harish Poonja and BJP legislators from the Mangaluru region, the statement said. PTI GMS GMS ADB