Bengaluru, 19 August

Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple said there was an “organised campaign” aimed at maligning the image of the temple town. He said it was carried out for over 14 years.

"Irked by the good work being done by us, some elements carry out false campaigns but we are unperturbed," he said.

Referring to recent videos of a former sanitation worker claiming to have buried hundred bodies in Dharmasthala, he said, "This is impossible. There is a popular belief that if one dies in Dharmasthala, they will get salvation. Whenever there is a death, we used to inform the panchayat and they do due diligence and bury the body."

He welcomed Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's statement about a conspiracy to defame Dharmasthala.

"They want the youth to turn away from the faith," Heggade rued. "We are shocked and surprised the way things were depicted. Social media is a very powerful medium and many of our well-wishers say that we have not used social media to publicise our good work. The work carried out in society is our duty, it's a commitment and service. We have reached all the villages and touched 55 lakh families through various social works."

 He also welcomed the SIT probe, saying it would bring the truth to light.

"These issues are baseless and false, and I was really hurt by these accusations,” Heggade said. “The way things are projected in social media is morally wrong."

He added that the temple is ready to cooperate with the investigation. “We have opened all our records. There are no illegal activities happening in Dharmasthala".

Heggade dismissed suggestions that the controversy had taken a political turn.

"No I don't think so. Congress leaders have also come here and so did the JD(S) leaders. Some people want to defame the temple and all parties have come in support of the temple," Heggade said.

Reiterating that faith in Dharmasthala remains unaffected, Heggade said, There is no change in the crowd or customs.”

Heggade expressed satisfaction with the pace of inquiry. "The Home Minister has made a statement. I believe an interim report is given and soon the final report will be out.”

"The smear campaign will end as allegations are turning out to be false, and people have come forward now in large numbers in support of the temple," he said.

Responding to renewed calls for justice in the Soujanya murder case, Heggade said, "When we came to know that such a thing has happened we informed the government the same day. Allegations on our families are baseless…. These are vicious campaigns."

 Soujanya, 17, a second-year Pre-University student of the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College was allegedly raped and murdered on 9 October, 2012. Protests are being organised now seeking justice for the girl. 

He pointed out that even CBI investigations had been conducted earlier. "We have cooperated and we welcomed all kinds of investigation".

Witness did not claim he was forced give false complaint: SIT

The SIT probing the Dharmasthala case clarified that the complainant and witness did not say that a group from Tamil Nadu pressurised him to make a fabricated complaint, as some media reports had suggested. Reports claimed that the complainant had confessed to the SIT that a group approached him in 2023 and questioned him about alleged burials. The complainant reportedly responded that all burials were conducted lawfully, but the group reportedly pressured him to give false statements. The SIT has now denied such reports. “We have not received any such claim from the complainant. At present, we are treating him as the complainant and are recording his statement,” an SIT officer said.