Ready to show solidarity with Dharmasthala temple by converging infront of Vidhana Soudha: Jain seers

The “bhattarakas” of Jain Mutts said on Friday that if need be they will show solidarity with Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara temple and its hereditary administrators by converging in front of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

Speaking at the “dharma samrakshana samavesha” in Dharmasthala, Dhavalakeerthi Bhattarakara Swami of Arahantagiri Jain Mutt, Tamil Nadu, and Abhinava Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami of Jain Mutt at Shravanabelagola, and others decried the sinister campaign against Dharmasthala. The truth is immortal, they said.

Dhavalakeerthi Bhattarakara Swami said that if smear campaign against the temple and its ‘Paddadhikari’ D. Veerendra Heggade was allowed to be continued, the “bhattarakas” will be forced to show their strength before the Vidhana Soudha.

“We will bring more people to gather before Vidhana Soudha,” Abhinava Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami said.

The seer of Shravanabelagola Mutt said that an attempt was made and being made to break the harmony between Hindus and Jains. But both Hindus and Jains will not allow that to happen.

“Mr. Heggade is the link between Hindus and Jains. The link cannot be separated,” he said, adding that an “untruth” is being propagated against the temple and its administrators.

Other “bhattarakas” said that though a minority community, the power and strength of Jains cannot be ignored. They condemned defamation of Jains using the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged burial bodies in Dharmasthala village over a decade ago.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Heggade asked the people to have patience and not to lose cool.

Devendrakeerthi Bhattaraka Swami of Hombuja Jain Mutt, Bhuvanakeerthi Bhattaraka Swami of Kanakagiri Jain Mutt, Lalithakeerthi Bhattaraka Swami of Karkala Jain Mutt also spoke on the occasion.