Major and Medium Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi visited the famous Dattatreya temple at Deval Ganagapur in Afzalpur taluk of Kalaburagi and performed a special puja in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday, drawing flak from the local public in the wake of the district administration imposing restrictions on the entry of devotees into the temple.
Mr. Jarkiholi, who was in Kalaburagi on Thursday, visited the Dattatreya temple along with the local party leaders and workers and performed puja, though the district administration has ordered the temple committee to keep the temple closed till July 7 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“It seems there are two different sets of norms — one for the common devotee and the other for political leaders,” some villagers said.
Reports refuted
Speaking to media persons, Mr. Jarkiholi refuted the reports of a secret meeting held by a group of BJP leaders in Mangaluru on Wednesday. He said that his Cabinet colleagues were in Mangaluru to attend Revenue Minister R. Ashok’s birthday party.
Replying to a question, he said that there is no difference of opinion among party leaders. Mr. Jarkiholi reiterated that the BJP government was stable under the leadership of B.S. Yediyurappa.
