Dharmasthala:  Hundreds of JD-S (Janata Dal – Secular) party workers, led by former Ministers S.R. Mahesh and C.S. Puttaraju, yesterday took out a car rally to Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala and extended their solidarity with Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, in the backdrop of stinging allegations against the shrine, infamous as ‘Dharmasthala Mass Burial Case’ being probed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The rally was taken out in about 500 cars, under the slogan ‘Dharmasthalada Para Naviddeve’ (We Are With Dharmasthala).

Earlier in the day, Puttaraju-led JD(S) workers’ team from Mandya, arrived in 150 cars at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) North Bank Canal. They later joined the party workers led by S.R. Mahesh in Yelwal.

After performing puja at Thopamma temple in K.R. Nagar, the rally passed through Saligrama in Saligrama taluk, Haradanahalli in Holenarasipur taluk, Ramanathapura, Konanur, Siddapura, Banawara in Arkalgud taluk and Shanivarasanthe Road in Kodagu, before culminating at Dharmasthala via Bisile Ghat.

The party workers visited Sri Manjunatha Swamy temple and prayed the deity to punish those tarnishing the sanctity of the shrine. They later met Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade and family, and presented fruits and garland, extending their moral support to Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala and also the Heggade family.

S.R. Mahesh, who is also the State JD(S) Working President said, ever since Dr. Veerendra Heggade was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Centre, conspiracies are being hatched against the latter. The ongoing SIT probe shall be soon revealing all, rendering justice to the truth.

Puttaraju said, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, himself has said that a conspiracy at bigger level is being played against Dr. Heggade. The Mask Man, in this case, was just a weapon in the hands of conspirators, who should be tracked and brought to book, he said.

Apart from Mysuru and K.R. Nagar, party workers from H.D. Kote, Periyapatna and T. Narasipur also took part in the rally.

MLCs C.N. Manjegowda and K. Vivekananda, former MLA K. Mahadev, H.D. Kote JD(S) leader Krishna Nayak, former Zilla Panchayat Member C.N. Dwarkeesh, former Mayors M.J. Ravikumar and R. Lingappa and several other leaders took part in the rally.