New Delhi, Sept. 5 (Agencies)- Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that, if necessary, the probe into allegations of a conspiracy to defame the Dharmasthala shrine in Karnataka will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Shah gave this assurance after receiving a memorandum from a delegation of seers representing the Karnataka Sanatan Sant during a meeting held yesterday.

The delegation comprised eight seers, including Shwaasa Guru Sri Vachanananda Swamiji of Harihara Veerashaiva Lingayat Jagadguru Peetha and Sri Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt, Gurupura, Dakshina Kannada district, among others.

The seers briefed Shah on what they described as a deliberate campaign by vested interests to malign Dharmasthala through negative publicity, and strongly urged for an NIA probe into the matter. “We have no objection to the ongoing SIT investigation into the Dharmasthala mass burial case, ordered by the State Government. However, an NIA probe would ensure greater transparency and credibility,” the seers emphasised during their discussion with the Home Minister.

The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, also highlighted concerns about the digging of marked points extending up to Bahubali Hill in Dharmasthala. The seers warned that such actions could erode the shrine’s spiritual sanctity, deeply upsetting its lakhs of devotees. They further alleged that conspiracy is part of a larger plot targeting Hindu pilgrimage centres, drawing parallels with previous controversies of Sabarimala and Tirupati.

“The ultimate aim is to cast aspersions on Hinduism and discourage devotees from visiting temples,” the seers told Shah.