Secretary of Janata Shikshana Samiti (JSS) Ajit Prasad has said that misleading and provocative statements on the social media seemed to be part of a conspiracy to defame Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala and the Heggade family.
Speaking at a meeting in Dharwad on Friday to condemn the misleading statements and defamatory campaign on Dharmasthala in the social media, Mr. Ajit Prasad said that it was a matter of concern that misleading, unverified and provocative statements against Dharmasthala were being circulated on social media.
He said that with a history of over 800 years, Dharmasthala had been serving the society through ‘Anna Dasoha’ (mass feeding), ‘Akshara Dasoha’ (education initiatives) and medical services and  vile propaganda against Dharmashtala Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade, who has been a guiding light for thousands of women through self-help groups was highly condemnable.
Y.M. Bhajantri said the contributions of D. Veerendra Heggade and Dharmasthala were known across the world and that the present phase of defamation campaign was a temporary one, which would end soon.
Municipal councillor Rajanna Koravi said that certain disruptive forces in the society, unable to tolerate Heggade’s progressive and socially beneficial initiatives, had united to launch the defamation campaign.
Mr. Suraj Jain stated that the defamation campaign acts against Dharmasthala was nothing but a conspiracy by some intolerant anti-social groups which were unable to digest the good work. Principal of JSS ITI College Mahaveer Upadhye said that it was not right to defame someone in the guise of freedom of speech.
Published – August 01, 2025 08:04 pm IST
