There has been talk that Communist agenda is behind the elaborate attack on Dharmasthala temple. A number of names have been mentioned on mainstream media and activists have taken the communist ideology head-on for being the source of the controversy surrounding the temple.
I have always been conflicted about how Communism, Socialism and Liberalism are interpreted in the modern world. As per the vast academic knowledge pertaining to Communism, it is an ideology that fights to build a ‘classless society’ that provides equal opportunities for all, implements a ‘planned economy’ that ensures equal distribution of wealth and fosters a sense of ‘community ownership’.
Communism, in theory, aims to alleviate the struggles of the underprivileged by dismantling the capitalist system of private ownership and class divisions. It posits that a society with communal ownership of the means of production—such as factories and land—would eliminate the exploitation of the working class (the proletariat) by the wealthy elite (the bourgeoisie). By distributing resources and wealth equally among all members of society, communism seeks to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met, thereby ending poverty and social inequality. The ultimate goal is to create a classless society where collective well-being is prioritized over individual profit and where the benefits of labor are shared by all, not just a privileged few.
What could persuade this ideology to stand AGAINST the Dharmasthala temple which is doing exactly what its principles state, is beyond me. The social welfare initiatives of the Dharmasthala temple have accomplished equality in opportunities, access to financial assistance, provision for betterment of livelihoods, access to quality healthcare & education and dignity of living for literally millions of people. A planned economy is precisely what the microfinance model is. The beneficiaries heartily attest to the ways through which the Dharmasthala temple has enhanced the quality of their lives.
The Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) carries out extensive social welfare activities that, in practice, align with some core tenets of communism, particularly the goals of collective well-being and the redistribution of resources to uplift the underprivileged. Instead of confiscating private property, the project operates by organizing marginalized rural populations into Self-Help Groups (SHGs). This collective model fosters a sense of shared responsibility and mutual support, mirroring the communist ideal of communal ownership and labor. Through these groups, SKDRDP provides microcredit, skills training, and direct support for agriculture, health, and sanitation. The project’s “Pragathi Bandhu” labor-sharing model, where farmers work on each other’s lands, and the rejuvenation of community assets like lakes (“Nammuru Namma Kere”) exemplify how collective action, rather than individual competition, is used to generate wealth and improve living conditions for all members. By empowering the poor to become self-reliant and providing them with a platform for communal resource management, SKDRDP’s initiatives work to reduce social and economic inequality, a central objective of communist ideology.
This is why the attack is so painfully short-sighted. I’ve said this before – the attack is harming the administrative family, yes, but the greater harm is inflicted upon the millions of beneficiaries who still depend on the many initiatives of Dharmasthala for their livelihood. The interpretation of Communism is clearly misdirected if it is true that Communists are behind this attack. A shame indeed.
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