JD(S) car and bike rally to Dharmasthala today

Mysore/Mysuru: Former Minister and senior JD(S) leader S.R. Mahesh has demanded the arrest of all those behind ‘Mask Man’ Chinnaiah, the complainant in the Dharmasthala ‘mass burial’ case.

Speaking at a press conference in Mysuru yesterday, Mahesh said that the Government must act against those attempting to malign Dharmasthala with baseless allegations.

He alleged that certain individuals, groups and vested forces were deliberately trying to tarnish the name of the famed shrine, which attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country every year. “The Government should identify the forces behind this false propaganda and punish them,” he urged.

Mahesh announced that JD(S) will take out a car rally today (Aug. 25) from Mysuru to Dharmasthala to protest against the “false propaganda” targeting the shrine. The rally will begin from Sa.Ra. Convention Hall on Dattagalli Ring Road in Kanakadasanagar. Another group of 200 cars and bikes from Mandya, led by former Minister C.S. Puttaraju, will join the rally at Yelwal. The procession will pass through K.R. Nagar, Haradanahalli and other towns before reaching Dharmasthala.

Taking a dig at MLC Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s recent remark that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had done more for Mysuru than Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, Mahesh said, “While Nalwadi pledged gold to construct KRS Dam, Siddaramaiah has borrowed recklessly to run the Government, pushing a heavy debt burden onto every citizen of the State.”

Alleging rampant corruption, caste-based discrimination and bribery in Government Departments, Mahesh claimed that transfer bribes now range anywhere between Rs. 15 lakh and Rs. 1 crore.

On CM Siddaramaiah’s comment that JD(S) strength in the Assembly would decline further, Mahesh retorted that the CM should not forget it was JD(S) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda who first gave him the Finance portfolio. “Siddaramaiah lacks the broad-mindedness of Deve Gowda,” he added.

Former Mayor R. Lingappa, former Deputy Mayor Krishna, former Corporators Bhagya Mahadesh, Shobha, Ashwini Ananthu and leaders Kumaraswamy, Dwarakish, Boregowda and others were present at the press meet.