POCSO case: 'Girls deserve nothing but justice', says BJP MP

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya on Monday said the girls who have accused the Murugha Mutt pontiff of sexual abuse “deserve nothing but justice” and called for the allegations to be probed “thoroughly and impartially”.

Siroya’s statement came a day after BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa backed the Murugha Mutt pontiff Shivamurthy Murugha Sharana saying the allegations against him were “false”.

“Minor girls have made serious allegations of sexual harassment. This is an extremely shocking and sad development,” Siroya said in a statement.

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“Each time something like this happens it shakes our confidence in our own surroundings, and in our own people. As a society, we owe it to ourselves that these allegations are probed thoroughly and impartially. The Karnataka government and all political parties have to ensure that there are no pulls, pressures, politics and interference in this case. The girls deserve nothing but justice,” Siroya, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in June, said.

The senior BJP leader said that authorities must consider transferring the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case out of Karnataka if that would ensure the delivery of justice. “In this case, not only do perceptions matter but restoring confidence in the health of our society is very important. All of us have a crucial role to play in that respect,” he said.

Speaking to reporters here, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the police will take action as per law.