Ashok says Dharmasthala temple should not be tarnished while targeting individuals

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok, who welcomed the State government’s decision to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged burial of bodies in Dharmasthala, has said that spreading misinformation about the Shri Manjunatha Swamy temple in Dharmasthala was wrong.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday, Mr. Ashok pointed out that the State government formed the SIT in response to an anonymous individual’s claim of having buried thousands of bodies in the Dharmasthala area. He demanded an impartial investigation into the matter and that the probe should not aim to falsely implicate anyone.

“If an individual has done something wrong, accusations should be directed at that person, not an entire religious institution. The government should not assign additional responsibilities to the SIT, and the team should thoroughly investigate and ensure punishment for the guilty,” he said.

“This matter pertains to individuals, not the Shri Manjunatha Swamy temple in Dharmasthala. No one should target the temple,” he maintained.

Stating that the Kerala government has intervened in the matter, he said if any murder had occurred, the local police station should investigate.

“If thousands of bodies were indeed found, their families would file complaints, and the government should clarify how many such cases exist. People die near religious centres like temples, churches, and mosques, and in such cases, the police conduct investigations,” he said.