Dharmasthala case: Suresh Kumar asks govt. to make SIT report public

Senior BJP member and former Minister S. Suresh Kumar on Friday demanded that the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the alleged mass burial case at Dharmasthala be tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

Speaking during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the State legislature, Mr. Kumar sought details of the investigation and questioned the delay in making the report public.

“The investigation has been completed, but the report has not been presented yet. Should the image of Dharmasthala continue to be tarnished? The report must be placed before the House,” he said.

Question of faith

Mr. Kumar said the Sri Manjunatha Swamy temple and its deity were a source of faith for lakhs of devotees. He alleged that vested interests were attempting to tarnish the reputation of the holy place through campaigns on social media and urged the government to disclose the SIT findings to restore public confidence.

The BJP member recalled that the Supreme Court had strongly criticised a public interest litigation related to the Dharmasthala issue, terming it “paisa interest litigation” rather than a genuine public cause. Making the SIT report public would help expose the intentions of those allegedly trying to defame the shrine, he said.

Constant leadership tussle

Mr. Kumar also criticised the Congress government, alleging that people in the State were fed up with the power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government had wasted an entire year in political infighting between the Chief Minister and his deputy.

“They have entertained the people without collecting entertainment tax,” he remarked, and called upon the government to introspect its performance over the past two years.