Daijiworld Media Network -Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, May 9: GSB Rakshana Vedike has termed news items appearing in a section of the media linking GSB community and Lord Venkataramana Temple with the murder of RTI activist, Vinayak P Baliga, on March 21 this year, as efforts aimed at tarnishing the image of the community and its temple. "Vested interests have been unnecessarily trying to sully the image of our community and temple by spreading baseless rumours and unsubstantiated information, with the tacit purpose of creating confusion in the minds of the general public. This is part of a systematic conspiracy aimed at bringing bad name to GSB community and their temple," it has stated.
The Vedike, which happens to be a forum functioning under GSB Temples Union, insisted that neither the GSB community nor the temple had any role in the murder of Baliga. To hold consultations about the developments which have the potential of giving rise to unnecessary confusion among the people of the community, a consultation meeting of representatives of temples and dignitaries from the community is being held at 5 pm on May 9 at Konchady Lord Venkataramana Temple. The Vedike added that it has been decided also to organize a protest meeting on a large scale to register resentment of the community against these unsavury developments.
"GSB community believes in hard work and total devotion and surrender to the Lord. It believes that the Lord will punish the guilty. The temple managing committee and the devotees have total faith in the law of the land, and believes that its members do not take part in activities of this kind. Hence,we do not believe in the need to seek recourse to ulterior means to achieve indivivual objectives. But some vested interests are unnecessarily spreading false information through social websites with the specific aim of bringing bad name to the community," it stated.
Through the release, the Vedike also said that it has been extending full cooperation for the investigation into the above murder, and is also prepared to continue to do so in future.
"Lord Venkataramana Temple at car street here is one of the prestigious temples of GSB community. In the renovation and reconsecration festival held two years back, no irregularities did happen. We have provided all information as sought to the court in this respect. The programmes and dealings of the temple have always remained disciplined and transparent. The temple has nothing do with this murder. The false information campaign undertaken against Kashi Math and its spiritual head are concocted stories that are being floated unnecessarily and without basis," it added.
The Vedike noted that the suit filed by the late Vinayak Baliga about the alleged irregularities in the temple are under investigation in the court, duly pointing out that any malicious campaigns being undertaken during this period are tantamount to contempt of court. "Bunder police station inspector, Shantaram, had visited the temple after the murder of Baliga, and we have extended complete cooperation for the investigation, Our cooperation will continue to be provided. Unnecessary pressure is being brought on police department, and false information campaign is being carried out through media and social websites, which have been conveying wrong message to the society. The members of GSB community should overlook these efforts, and continue to retain their faith in the Lord, temple, and the Math, and also do everything in their command to uphold the dignity and stature of the community," the press statement urged.