Dharmasthala row escalates: BJP launches 'Dharma Yatra'; MP Tejasvi Surya demands probe into SIT push

NEW DELHI: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday participated in the ‘Dharma Yatra’ organised by the Karnataka BJP from Bengaluru to Dharmasthala and strongly criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged murders in Dharmasthala.Surya questioned the CM’s “urgency and enthusiasm” in constituting the SIT, claiming the move was part of a larger conspiracy to “defame and destabilise a very important Hindu institution in Karnataka.”

"I have five specific questions for CM Siddaramaiah who showed great urgency and enthusiasm in constituting an SIT to investigate the thousands of alleged murders that took place in Dharmsthala. It is now beyond clear that this was a larger conspiracy by an entire ecosystem to defame and destabilise a very important Hindu institution in Karnataka.”"We are told that a certain section of senior police officers in Karnataka adviced the state government to not hurriedly constitute an SIT before preliminary investigations were made on the allegations made by this unnamed masked man and verify these credentials. Why did the CM show so much urgency? Would he have shown similar urgency to constitute an SIT if certain allegations of this nature were made against a non-Hindu institution?, " Surya said.

The BJP MP further alleged that instructions to constitute the SIT had come from “a few Delhi leaders,” and demanded that the CM reveal their names."Over the last couple of days we are told that instructions to constitute the SIT specifically came from a few Delhi leaders. The CM must tell who these Delhi leaders were, " he added.“No preliminary enquiry was conducted to verify the identity and credentials of the masked man, who claims to be a sanitation worker. People and organisations raised funds for him, an entire ecosystem came out in his support, and senior lawyers who charge hefty fees were engaged in court cases. Who funded, orchestrated, and handled this entire conspiracy?” Surya asked.