DK Shivakumar calls Dharmasthala Case BJP-RSS conspiracy, Dismisses Congress Role

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has dismissed the controversy surrounding the Dharmasthala mass burial case, calling it a baseless conspiracy rooted in internal conflicts between the BJP and the RSS. Speaking at the India Today Conclave South 2025, he said that the issue had been blown out of proportion and wrongly politicised.

Shivakumar revealed that even the Congress leadership had questioned him about the matter, but he advised them not to get involved. “This is a hoax, a bogus case. Let the Congress party stay away. I know Dharmasthala well—it is clearly a dispute within the BJP and RSS,” he stated, adding that he could provide evidence, including statements from BJP leaders, Hindu Parishad members, and RSS functionaries.

The Deputy CM expressed confidence that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) would expose the truth. “This is no longer just a Dharmasthala issue; it has now become a national matter. The SIT is on the job and the facts will come out,” he said.

Defending Dharmasthala and its head, Veerendra Heggade, Shivakumar stressed that the temple was an institution built on faith and continued to command people’s trust. He also accused political opponents of remaining silent initially and then attempting to exploit the controversy once he raised the matter in the Assembly.

“This entire episode is a conspiracy. When I exposed it, suddenly everyone wanted to play politics over it. But the truth will stand,” Shivakumar concluded.