Dharmasthala case: Sujatha Bhat’s lawyer raises concern about shortage of GPR equipment
Mangaluru: Advocate Manjunath N, legal counsel for Sujatha Bhat, mother of missing medical student Ananya Bhat, has raised serious concerns regarding an alleged artificial shortage of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) equipment crucial to the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the mass burials case in Dharmasthala.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Advocate Manjunath highlighted that there has been a deliberate blocking of access to GPR technology, which is essential for locating potential human remains at identified sites in Dharmasthala. Sujatha Bhat, whose daughter went missing in 2003, has been actively urging the SIT to deploy advanced GPR methods in the investigation.
“There are very few private sector suppliers of GPR in India, and we have received information that existing equipment has been pre-booked by unknown vested interests,” the statement read. It further alleged that certain private firms were being discouraged, or even threatened, against cooperating with the SIT by providing the necessary equipment.
The advocate urged members of the media and investigative journalists to probe this suspicious trend, including whether there has been a surge in equipment bookings coinciding with the timeline of the Dharmasthala probe, and whether any pressure or inducements have been placed on GPR suppliers.
Furthermore, the advocate expressed strong appreciation for the SIT’s efforts under the leadership of DGP Pranab Mohanty, praising the team’s professionalism and resolve in pursuing the sensitive case.
Any attempt to block the availability of essential technology would be a grave injustice to the families of missing persons, he added.
“They deserve nothing less than a thorough, scientific investigation. The people of Karnataka and India have the right to know the truth,” the advocate said.
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Congress committed to social justice, says Karnataka CM; hits out at JD(S), BJP
BJP Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asserted that the Congress remains firmly committed to social justice, both in principle and practice.
"The Congress is a party committed to social justice. This ideological commitment has been demonstrated not merely through words but through action," the CM said in a statement, underlining that the party has consistently translated its philosophy into governance.
He said his recent article marking Social Justice Day has sparked debate.
Defending the piece, he said: "An article I wrote for a newspaper as part of Social Justice Day celebrations has sparked multifaceted debate in the state’s political circles. If water remains stagnant, it turns into slush; if it flows, it becomes clearer."
"The social system is similar—if it does not remain rigid and instead becomes dynamic, it transforms in a people-centric manner. From this perspective, I welcome the discussion surrounding my article," he added.
Stating that his commitment to social justice is longstanding, the CM said, "Whether in power or out of it, my stand in favour of social justice has remained unwavering. I have greater clarity about the caste system among us than the politicians criticising me."
"I am prepared for a public debate on this issue," Siddaramaiah added.
Responding to criticism from Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy, he said, "I have taken his allegation—that I have ‘dragged caste into the picture for the sake of a chair’—lightly."
Launching a sharp attack on JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family, Siddaramaiah added, "Kumaraswamy and his revered father Deve Gowda are certainly not casteists; they are against their own caste. More importantly, they are family-centric. For them, caste is merely a vote bank."
He alleged that past, present, and future top JD(S) leaders would always be members of the Gowda family, questioning how many Vokkaliga leaders the party had nurtured during Deve Gowda’s long political career.
The CM maintained that it was the Congress that had identified and politically groomed Vokkaliga leaders.
"From Kengal Hanumanthaiah to S M Krishna, hundreds of Vokkaliga leaders have been nurtured. If Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Kadidal Manjappa, and S M Krishna became chief ministers, it was because of the Congress," he said, adding that several prominent Vokkaliga leaders are currently in the party.
"If one day anyone other than a member of Deve Gowda’s family becomes chief minister, it will be through the Congress," he noted.
Highlighting inclusivity, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat, and backward communities to become chief ministers in Karnataka, and expressed gratitude to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving him a second term.
He added that leaders from the Dalit community who rise to the CM's post do so on merit, not merely caste. "I can confidently say that if someone from the Dalit community becomes chief minister in the future, it will be possible only through the Congress,” he reiterated.
He questioned whether the JD(S) or the BJP in the state is capable of fostering such aspirations. "This is the difference between the Congress, the BJP and JD(S). Therefore, I urge those accusing me of practising caste politics to introspect," the CM said.
