Goverment will take action against whistleblower if his claims are false: Home Minister G Parameshwara

Tells Oppn: Truth should come out. Shouldn’t we conduct a probe into the allegations?

Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara counters the Opposition BJP’s allegations on the Dharmasthala mass burial case, in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday. (Photo | Express)

BENGALURU: Defending the state government’s decision to set up the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Dharmasthala case, Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday clarified that action will be taken against the whistleblower if his claims are false.

Replying to BJP MLAs’ allegation in the Legislative Assembly that the Congress government deliberately targeted Dharmsthala to hurt the religious sentiments of a section of society, Dr Parameshwara said the SIT probe will bring out the truth.

“Let me make it clear as home minister that we (the government) have not yielded to any pressure and will never. The truth should come out. Shouldn’t we conduct a probe into the allegations? SIT is moving in the right direction. If the complainant’s claims are false, there is a provision in the BNSS Act to take action against him,” Dr Parameshwara said.

On BJP MLAs’ statement that women will hit the streets against the state government, Dr Parameshwara appealed to them not to give a political or religious twist to the case. “What mistake did the government make? We just want to bring out the truth. Neither I nor the CM nor the DCM made a phone call to the SIT chief,” he clarified.

The BJP MLAs alleged that the government had set up SIT because of pressure from some Left-leaning organisations and warned that people will launch an agitation against it for hurting their religious sentiments.

Dr Parameshwara claimed that he too has high regards for Dharmasthala temple and its dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade. Dharmasthala temple management under Dr Heggade has financially empowered lakhs of women through SHGs, he said.

Earlier, BJP legislators Arvind Bellad, BY Vijayendra, SR Vishwanath, Araga Jnanendra and others attacked the government over the issue and demanded that an interim report on SIT probe be tabled during this session. Senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said the government should stop the SIT probe into the Dharmasthala case.