'Who killed'? Women’s movement rises again in Karnataka over Dharmasthala case

The women activists are worried that both the Congress and BJP leaders are diluting the case.

They even discussed how deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar openly stated in the legislative assembly that there is a "conspiracy" behind the Dharmasthala case, while BJP leaders have spoken out in a divided voice on this issue.

The activists, therefore, have no faith in the government either and are planning to launch state-level protests and campaigns against the Dharmasthala issue under the rousing slogan 'Kondavaru Yaru?'.

Momentum to women's movement

On Tuesday (September 16), more than 60 women activists from different parts of Karnataka gathered at Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru, along with civil rights groups, to decide on their next steps.

This group, however, is not new. It was earlier called 'Navenddu Nilladiddre – Karnataka' (If We Don’t Wake Up – Karnataka). Under that name they organised many protests, their biggest one being the historic 'Hassan Chalo' rally. That rally demanded justice for women victims of rape and video recording by former MP Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. They had also demanded his arrest.

Now, the women’s groups want to build a much bigger movement. They want to take their awareness programme to every village in Karnataka and plan to invite well-known women civil rights activists from across India to their rallies. This includes activists from the Bilkis Bano case and the Nirbhaya case. Writers like Arundhati Roy and leaders like former MP Subhashini Ali may also join.

Street plays

The main tool for spreading awareness will be street plays. These plays will be performed in villages to explain the issues to common people. Meetings, discussions with local people, and seminars will also be organised across the state. After this big outreach, the group plans to hold a massive convention — either in Dharmasthala or in Bengaluru — to demand justice for Soujanya and for other women who were allegedly murdered or raped.

In the 'Hassan Chalo' campaign, protests were held in many places and ended with a large rally in Hassan. They invited national-level civil rights activists like Subhashini Ali, writer Banu Mushtaq, and SR Hiremath. Now they are launching the Dharmasthala movement under the new name 'Nondavarondige Navvu–Neewu' with the slogan 'Kondvaru Yaru?'.

Unsolved murder cases

At Tuesday’s meeting, many women activists said that while the issue of mass burials has come to the forefront, many old murder cases remain unsolved. These cases must also be brought to light and justice delivered. The meeting demanded that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) be given full freedom to investigate the cases.

They also demanded action against officials who mishandled the Soujanya case.

Dr Vasundhara Bhupathi is a senior activist, writer, and member of the Ugrappa Committee on preventing sexual violence against women and children. This committee had highlighted hundreds of unnatural deaths in Dharmasthala. She told The Federal Karnataka that the silence around the case cannot continue.

She said, “We wrote to Sonia Gandhi because justice is at stake. Looking at the SIT investigation and the statements of politicians, we fear the truth will again be buried. The Ugrappa Committee’s report must be implemented. I was part of that committee. How can so many deaths occur in one place without accountability?”

Sirimane Mallige, a civil rights activist, pointed out, “We have kept this struggle alive continuously, holding it firmly at the local level without letting it fade. Many people have said that justice will come only through the struggle led by women and girls.”

While KS Vimala of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane said, “The people’s movement is still alive. The whole world knows who the killers are. There is a need for another mass movement on this issue. Let us unite and fight against injustice.”

Soujanya and beyond

Soujanya was a 17-year-old college student raped and murdered in Dharmasthala in 2012. Even after many years, the real accused have not been caught. The investigation has yielded nothing. Despite huge protests at that time, the probe lost speed amid allegations of political pressure and shielding of the culprits by institutions. Her family still waits for justice.

New allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala — involving women and under-age girls who were allegedly raped and murdered — have increased public anger. Activists say these are not single crimes but part of a larger pattern of silence and cover-ups.

“This is about Soujanya, but it is also about all the women and girls whose stories have been suppressed,” one activist said. “The institutions failed them. Now society must not,” the activist added.

Thousands of people are already participating in the Justice for Soujanya protests. Lakhs across Karnataka are demanding answers about the mass burial allegations.

One protest leader told The Federal, “We will join hands with the women activists if they go for a mass awareness campaign about the Dharmasthala issue. If they conduct mass rallies or protests, we will make it a huge success. The government and SIT will have no choice but to give us justice — justice for Soujanya and justice for all the victims.”

Echoes of Hassan Chalo

The new slogan 'Kondvaru Yaru?' (Who Killed?) takes its energy from the Hassan Chalo protest held in 2024.

More than 10,000 women had gathered with national level leaders joining them. Civil rights activists like SR Hiremath and Banjagere Jayaprakash too supported the rally.

Under the same banner, thousands of activists and citizens had marched in Hassan demanding the arrest of MP Prajwal Revanna, accused in a sexual abuse scandal. That movement became a turning point. It forced the state government and police to track down Prajwal (who had fled to Europe) and pressured the SIT to file serious charges. The movement even led to the arrest of his father, MLA HD Revanna, son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

National civil rights groups are already watching closely. If the call for 'Dharmasthala Chalo' is given, organisers expect a wave of support across the country, just like 'Hassan Chalo' did last year.

(This article first appeared in The Federal Karnataka)