Truth has come out; government should apologise to people, Araga Jnanendra

MLA for Tirthahalli and former Minister Araga Jnanendra leading devotees from Tirthahalli to express solidarity with Sri Kshetra and Pattadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade at Dharmasthala on Saturday.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

MLA for Tirthahalli and former Minister Araga Jnanendra on Saturday said that as the truth behind the alleged mass burial has come out with the arrest of the complainant witness, the State government that hurriedly ordered an SIT probe should tender apology to the people of Karnataka.

Leading devotees from his constituency to Dharmasthala, Mr. Jnanendra said the malicious campaign was aimed at tarnishing the image of Dharmasthala that has a history of over eight centuries. With the campaign up on social media, devotees of Sri Kshetra across the world were upset and confused, he told reporters at Dharmasthala.

As the truth has come out, the guilty should be punished even as those behind the smear campaign should be brought to book, Mr. Jnanendra said.

Service akin to government

The Sri Kshetra, Mr. Jnanendra said, has been rendering several services akin to government through Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) and a host of educational institutions. While it has rejuvenated hundreds of tanks and lakes across the State, the Sri Kshetra has been conducting alcohol de-addiction camps, women empowerment, formation of women self-help groups, providing academic infrastructure and guest teachers to government schools, and many more.

Mr. Jnanendra said truth would have come out if the complainant witnesses had been inquired properly in the initial stages itself. However, he was used to undertake malicious campaign against Sri Kshetra, he said, alleging the hands of intellectuals and leftists behind the campaign.

He later met Pattadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade, along with followers, and expressed solidarity with Sri Kshetra.