Dharmasthala murders: Centre must examine foreign funding charges, says Karnataka minister
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Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday said that allegations of foreign funding linked to the Dharmasthala mass grave case would have to be examined by the Central government.
His remarks come amid demands from the BJP, JD(S) and Hindu organizations to transfer the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to sources, the Enforcement Directorate is already tracking bank accounts of activists involved in protests against the temple authorities to verify possible foreign funding.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said, “Whenever allegations of foreign funding arise, they must be looked into by the Centre. The state government cannot probe such matters. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is investigating the burying of dead bodies in Dharmasthala. If there are any lacunae, we can consider other actions.”
He noted that the NIA could intervene only if there was valid justification, adding that the state government would have no role in that decision.
Parameshwara also criticized political yatras undertaken by BJP, JD(S) and Congress leaders following the case. “God Manjunatha does not belong to any one community. The deity himself ensures that devotees can visit whenever they wish. Anyone can visit Dharmasthala and take darshan. There is no objection to that. But why have a series of campaigns been launched only after the Dharmasthala case came to the forefront? I cannot understand whether they are trying to cleanse Dharmasthala’s image or their own” he asked.
On the ongoing investigation into the Soujanya rape and murder case, Parameshwara said he was unaware of the basis on which the SIT was pursuing leads. He suggested there could be links between the two cases, which should be examined for a complete probe. “I am not saying this is a re-investigation of the Soujanya case,” he clarified.
Responding to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s request to Home Minister Amit Shah to hand over the Dharmasthala probe to the NIA, Parameshwara said, “He may have requested it. Initially, they disapproved of the SIT and are now demanding an NIA probe. The investigation will remain the same.”
