Ballary (Karnataka), Sep 6 (IANS) Responding to the move by Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil from Tamil Nadu who filed a criminal defamation case for linking him to the Dharmasthala case, mining baron and BJP MLA G. Janardhana Reddy said he was ready to face the case.
“Sasikanth Senthil should be investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the mass grave case,” Reddy demanded.
Speaking at a press conference in Ballari on Saturday, Reddy said: “The state government is supporting him, so it is difficult to investigate Senthil. That is why an NIA or CBI probe should be ordered into the Dharmasthala case. Such an investigation is necessary because there is a propaganda team operating across the border.”
“There should also be a probe to determine whether foreign forces are involved,” he added.
“The Dharmasthala issue is being debated not only in Karnataka but also across the country. It has hurt Hindu religious sentiments. Many people tried to defame the temple town of Dharmasthala, including YouTuber Sameer, who made videos about the Saujanya case. Sameer, a native of Ballari, got over a million views on his video.”
“They, including ‘mask man’ Chinnaiah, tried to spread propaganda against Dharmasthala. Conspiracy theories were circulated but were later exposed by the media,” Reddy alleged.
“I had earlier said that MP Sasikanth Senthil is behind all this. ‘Mask man’ Chinnaiah is originally from Tamil Nadu. Leftist Senthil resigned after speaking in support of leftist and anti-national forces and against right-wing activists in Karnataka. Later, he contested and won on a Congress ticket. Now, Senthil has filed a defamation case against me. I will face it,” Reddy said.
“Facing defamation cases is nothing new to me. I have seen such cases since my days as a newspaper editor and even after entering politics. If MP Sasikanth Senthil is not involved, he should have met the Chief Minister and demanded a CBI probe into the mass grave case. Instead, he is working to weaken the BJP in the coastal region,” Reddy charged.
Responding to allegations by mining baron and BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy linking him to the Dharmasthala case, Tamil Nadu Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil, a former Karnataka cadre IAS officer, lashed out at the MLA and categorically denied having any role in the mass grave case. He has also filed a defamation case in the City Civil Court in Bengaluru against MLA Reddy.
Speaking to reporters on the premises of the City Civil Court in Bengaluru on Saturday, MP Sasikanth Senthil said, “I was keeping quiet, wondering whether I should even react to such childish allegations. But now, every day, a new story is cropping up. I think it is the right time to file a defamation case. I have worked in Karnataka for 10 years. Do you know the person making allegations against me?”
Senthil further stated: “He is the one who looted Karnataka’s resources and was imprisoned for seven years. He brought shame to the state at the national level.”
“I have not even been allotted a residence in Delhi. Yet they claim that the complainant and others took the skull to my Delhi residence. I don’t have any idea regarding the skull in connection with Dharmasthala case. Probably, Gangavathi MLA Janardhana Reddy knows about it,” Senthil remarked.
“I have been facing the right wing politics. Linking to me in the case is complete baseless, reckless and childish. They think they can issue any statement as per their whims and fancies. Is there any evidence? One piece of it? It is very difficult to even answer such things,” he stated.
–IANS
mka/pgh
