BJP Demands NIA Probe As Dharmasthala Row Deepens

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has escalated its demand for a central investigation into the Dharmasthala controversy, insisting that only the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can uncover what it describes as a “very big conspiracy.”

At a rally titled "Dharmasthala Chalo”, BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra said the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe had failed to allay public doubts. “Whenever Siddaramaiah is in power, attacks on Hindu temples rise. We demand that this case be handed to the NIA or CBI,” he declared before a large crowd.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, addressing the same gathering, condemned what he termed a politically motivated campaign to discredit the temple town. He questioned the SIT’s credibility, asking why the masked complainant who made the allegations had not been taken into custody earlier. “Who is this masked man who accessed the burial site? Why wasn’t he arrested immediately?” Joshi asked.

Meanwhile, JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy launched the “Dharmasthala Satya Yatra” from Hassan, chanting slogans in support of the religious institution. While echoing BJP’s demand for a central probe, he insisted that his party’s involvement was apolitical and aimed at safeguarding the trust of devotees.

The Congress-led state government has rejected the call for NIA intervention. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reaffirmed confidence in the SIT, saying it has been given “full freedom” to conduct a fair and honest investigation. He added that unless credible information on foreign funding or wider conspiracy emerges, a central agency probe is unnecessary.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar accused the BJP of attempting to politicize religion and destabilize Dharmasthala. He alleged that the party’s demand for a central probe was part of a broader political agenda rather than a genuine concern for justice.

The Dharmasthala case began in July 2025, when a former sanitation worker claimed he had been forced to bury hundreds of bodies—many allegedly showing signs of sexual assault—between 1995 and 2014. The SIT was formed to investigate the allegations.

Excavations at several identified sites have so far revealed skeletal remains at only two locations, while others yielded no findings. Forensic inconsistencies raised questions about the complainant’s credibility, and he was later arrested on charges including perjury.