BJP wraps Dharmasthala case in faith narrative, Congress battles perception war

Time of India

2 days ago

Bengaluru: What began as an investigation into allegations of mass burials at Dharmasthala — one of the country's most prominent Hindu pilgrimage centres — has evolved into a politically charged contest over faith, identity, and control of the narrative.
The special investigation team (SIT), tasked with examining claims that hundreds of bodies were secretly buried, has so far produced limited physical evidence. Yet in the political arena, the case is being reframed as an attack on Hinduism, with BJP signalling it could be a major campaign plank in the run-up to the 2028 assembly polls — a prospect which troubles governing Congress.
The investigation was launched in July after a whistleblower — a former sanitation worker employed at the temple from 1995 to 2014 — alleged he had buried hundreds of bodies, including women allegedly .raped before being killed.
He also claimed he faced threats to his life and family if he spoke out.
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Opposition BJP and affiliated Hindutva organisations have cast the investigation as a conspiracy to malign Hindu temples. Opposition leader in the assembly R Ashoka called it an anti-Hindu conspiracy to defame the temple by both "urban naxals and international hands", while incorrectly claiming the whistleblower is a Muslim. He is a Dalit.
BJP also views the matter as a potential rallying issue, with Vishwa Hindu Parishad hinting at a statewide campaign, describing the investigation as part of a drive by "divisive forces".
On Sunday, a team of BJP functionaries is expected to visit Dharmasthala as devotees in a show of support.
Congress, wary of being labelled anti-Hindu, has reined in its criticism and has been insisting that they ordered the probe with good intentions and not to defame the temple.
"Should such claims be allowed to linger?" home minister G Parameshwara asked. "Shouldn't the truth behind these allegations emerge? We formed the SIT to find the truth, so that those facing allegations are treated fairly."
He also said the govt is contemplating action against those who carried out a misinformation campaign – including the sanitation worker – against the pilgrim town and its authorities, if investigation fails to substantiate the allegations.
But deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar struck a different note, echoing BJP's position: "It is a big conspiracy to tarnish the pilgrim town." Analysts say this divergence underscores Congress's concern over the BJP's Hindutva framing.
Political analyst MN Patil said: "Instead of debating whether crimes took place, the conversation has veered toward whether Hindu temples are being unfairly targeted. This narrative mobilises BJP's core vote-bank."
Dharmasthala's hereditary head, Veerendra Heggade, has been Dharmadhikari since 1968 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by BJP in 2022 — a fact seen as adding a political layer to the controversy.
Legal expert N Venkatesh warned: "When you cast a criminal allegation as an attack on religion, the legal process becomes subordinate to political mobilisation."
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