'Moto is to Divide Hindus': Union Minister Prahlad Joshi Hits Back at Opposition During Dharmasthala Chalo Rally

Dharmasthala: Union Minister Prahlad Joshi on Monday took a dig at the Congress, accusing the party of turning a blind eye to terrorist attacks during its time in power.

Speaking at the Dharmasthala Chalo programme in the temple town, Prahlad Joshi, alleged that the motive behind the Dharmasthala controversy was to reduce the faith of the public, dividing Hindus. “They just wanted to defame Ayodhya, Shanisignapur, Dharmasthala, and other Hindu places of worship,” he said.

BJP Holds ‘Dharmasthala Chalo’ Rally 

On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party organised a massive rally to oppose the so-called “mass burial” controversy in Dharamsthala. The event started at 2 pm and saw participation from state BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok, Prahlad Joshi, and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy. Thousands of devotees joined in from across Karnataka to show support for the Dharmasthala temple.

Earlier, Vijayendra had called for a Dharmasthala Chalo rally and demanded that the case be investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). "The government's handling of the Dharmasthala issue has tarnished its reputation, and a thorough investigation by the NIA is essential to uncover the organisations and malicious forces behind the controversy," Vijayendra said at a press conference in Bengaluru.

Addressing reporters, Vijayendra claimed that the rally was not politically motivated. "The much-awaited 'Dharmasthala Chalo' is organised here. More than 1 lakh people, including devotees of the Dharmasthala temple, will assemble here today. Our intention is very clear. Our agenda is not political,” he said.

He added that the BJP would continue to push for either an NIA or CBI probe, as the SIT investigation wasn’t enough. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of exploiting religious sentiments for political gain. 

In a post on X, he wrote:"The BJP people are weaving a new strategy of a religious pilgrimage to Dharmasthala. They politicise everything. Let them go on the yatra if they want. The formation of the SIT has been welcomed by Shri Kshetra's Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade himself. The SIT has been formed for the reason that the truth must come out. Otherwise, there would always have been a controversy regarding Dharmasthala. The SIT has been formed to dispel this doubt."

The controversy began in July 2025, when a man appeared claiming he had personally buried multiple bodies of raped and murdered women and girls while working as a sanitation worker at the Dharmasthala temple between 1995 and 2014. The SIT has since arrested him and remanded him in custody for 10 days.

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