In a move that has intensified political tensions in Karnataka, the state Congress government has reopened the case of the vandalism of the Inam Dattatreya Babubudan Dargah tomb in Bababudangiri, Chikkamagaluru. The incident, which occurred in 2017, resurfaces amid an escalating political battle between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
This decision comes on the heels of the controversial reopening of the 31-year-old Hubballi riots case, which saw the arrest of Shrikant Pujari, further fueling the BJP’s narrative of the Congress being anti-Hindu. Seizing the opportunity, the BJP has embarked on a statewide campaign, using these cases as political weapons to label the Congress as anti-Hindu and to consolidate support among the majority community.
The Dattapeeth tomb vandalism case dates back to 2017 when the sacred site was desecrated, leading to widespread condemnation. However, the case was closed during the previous BJP government. The reopening of this case by the Congress government has reignited controversies, with the court issuing notices to 14 accused individuals. They are required to appear in court on January 8, 2024.
Among those served notices are Nagendra Pujari, Mohan, Ashok, Raju, Tudukuru Manju, Shivraj, Sandesh, Lokesh, Mahendra, Sandeep, and Ramu. The move has added fuel to the already fiery political landscape, with the BJP accusing the Congress of playing divisive politics and trying to score political points as elections draw near.
As the BJP intensifies its campaign portraying the Congress as anti-Hindu, the Congress leaders find themselves repeatedly caught in a challenging situation. The decisions to reopen contentious cases have inadvertently provided the BJP with ample ammunition to further its narrative, potentially influencing voter sentiments in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The political struggle between the two major parties shows no signs of abating, with each move by the Congress government met with a swift and aggressive response from the BJP.
The repercussions of these decisions are likely to echo through the political landscape in the days leading up to the polls.
