Unruly behaviour by JD-S workers at the Dharmasthala temple

TNN

Dharmasthala, 27 June 2011: It is rare to see dharmadhikari of Sri Kshetra D Veerendra Heggade or for that matter his younger brother Harshendra Kumar lose their cool. But unruly behaviour exhibited by JD-S workers when former CM H D Kumaraswamy came to the kshetra for his satyada nivedhane’ (expression of truth) before the deity forced both Heggade and Harshendra to raise their voice and restore sanity in the temple premises.

 

JD-S workers from Kumaraswamy’s support base of Hassan who had descended on the Kshetra on Sunday night could not control their passion when Kumaraswamy arrived at the temple. They shouted slogans hailing their leader and vitiated the entire atmosphere. This was in stark contrast to the visit of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa who came earlier in the day, and left without much of botheration for all concerned.

 

 

Harshendra told TOI that the BJP appointed their former district unit president Pratap Simha Nayak to act as their pointsman to identify party leaders and elected representatives. "We had requested the JD-S to do so," he said adding that there was no response from them. Incidentally, Heggade had asked both these leaders to ensure that there was no disturbance from their party cadre when they visited the Sri Kshetra.

 

Harshendra said Monday is a special day at the Kshetra and attracts devotees in large numbers. We normally do not entertain any political leaders on Sunday and Monday, he said, adding that the only reason for Veerendra Heggade to agree to accommodate these two leaders on a Monday was the heat and hype generated by the reasons that prompted them to come to the Kshetra in the first place to swear before the God.

 

Mahendra Kumar, former Bajrang Dal convener who is now with the JD-S said Kumaraswamy, during his darshan of the deity, asserted that whatever he has stated with regard to Yeddyurappa sending an emissary to bring about a rapprochement between the two leaders was true. It is in response to this that the CM issued advertisement in the media challenging Kumaraswamy to come and swear before the presiding deity here.