K'taka Cong tightlipped on POCSO case against Lingayat seer

Bengaluru, Aug 30 (IANS) At a time when public debate is focused on the POCSO case against prominent Lingayat seer Murugha Shivamurthy Sharanaru and the inaction of the authorities, the silence of the Congress leaders in Karnataka is intriguing.

Murugha is yet to be questioned even after the two minor girls lodged a POCSO case and an atrocity case against him. The Chitradurga Rural police have been accused of favouring the seer under political pressure.

The Opposition Congress in Karnataka, which has been hitting out at the ruling BJP at every chance, is conspicuously silent over the issue of police inaction against the accused seer.

Sources said that one of the victims belongs to the scheduled caste and the other girl belongs to the OBC (Other Backward Classes).

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Congress state president D K Shivakumar, Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, his son, Congress MLA and in-charge of media affairs Priyank Kharge, Opposition leader in the Legislative Council B K Hariprasad have chosen not to speak on the issue.

The BJP on the other hand had stated that the POCSO case against the seer seems to be a conspiracy, giving enough clues about its approach towards the case.

Sources in the Congress said that Murugha is a powerful person and can impact the poll prospects of the party across the state, mainly in central Karnataka. When the other Lingayat seers sided with the BJP, Murugha identified himself with the Congress.

He took part in the massive protest march organised by the Congress demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project at the height of the Covid third wave. The seer came down to Kanakapur and joined Shivakumar, who was leading the march.

During the recent visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the seer gave him a 'Linga Deekha' at his mutt.

BJP MLC H Vishwanath has lashed out at his own party as well as the Congress for not taking proactive steps on the POCSO case against the seer. He lambasted both the parties for worrying about votes and not bothering to think about the two victims.

Dalit organisations have taken to the streets demanding the arrest of the seer. The police have produced the victims to record their statements under CrPC Section 164. Police security has been tightened at the Murugha mutt.