Even after bone recovery in Dharmasthala, BJP rallies to shield alleged abusers

Bengaluru: Despite the recovery of human remains from Dharmasthala, a key piece of evidence in the ongoing probe into allegations of mass murder, rape, and secret burials spanning nearly two decades, BJP legislators in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday devoted their energy to targeting the complainant rather than addressing the allegations or the physical evidence already unearthed. Home Minister G Parameshwara told the House that if the Special Investigation Team (SIT) finds the complainant -witness’s allegations to be false, legal action will follow. His statement became a springboard for BJP members to question the complainant’s credibility, demand the disclosure of his identity, and call for a narco-analysis test, while raising claims of political conspiracies and foreign involvement. The complainant, a former sanitation worker, has alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies, including women and minors, some showing signs of sexual assault. These bodies, he says, were buried in and around Dharmasthala. His sworn statement before a magistrate, combined with the recovery of bones now undergoing forensic analysis, has intensified public calls for a transparent, victim-focused investigation. Instead of pushing for clarity on the evidence or ensuring the SIT operates without obstruction, the Assembly discussion was dominated by attacks on the complainant. This shift in focus has drawn criticism from rights activists, who argue that it risks derailing the investigation and intimidating potential witnesses. The Dharmasthala case has become one of Karnataka’s most sensitive criminal probes in recent years, not only because of the nature of the allegations but also due to the political polarisation surrounding it. With the SIT yet to complete its work, the political contest inside the Assembly risks overshadowing the central question: who is responsible for the crimes that the recovered bones may represent?