Chaitra Kundapura, a 27-year-old former TV anchor and known Hindutva activist with ties to the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), was arrested by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on the night of September 12. This arrest was made in response to a complaint filed by businessman Govind Babu Pujari. Govind’s complaint alleges that he was defrauded of a substantial sum - a staggering Rs 5 crore - by Chaitra and her associates.
According to the complaint lodged with the Bandepalya police in Bengaluru, Chaitra Kundapura and her associates purportedly engaged in a fraudulent scheme. They allegedly promised Govind a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket for the Karnataka Assembly elections held recently, in exchange for a substantial sum.
Chaitra Kundapura's notoriety extends beyond this recent incident. Her contentious past is marked by provocative and divisive speeches, often delivered at events organised by right-wing groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). These inflammatory speeches have garnered both ardent supporters and vocal critics, further solidifying her polarising persona. Her social media accounts are filled with images from anti-Muslim rallies, public engagement initiatives, and campaigns. As an ABVP member, Chaithra led agitations over the murders of two students- Rathna Kothari in 2014 and Akshatha Devadiga in 2015. She has also written a book on love jihad (a bogey spread by right-wing organisations alleging that Muslim men ‘trap’ Hindu and Christian women into marrying them and force them to convert to Islam) named Prema Pasha which translates to Love loop.
The spotlight on Chaitra intensified in October 2021 when she delivered a hate speech that exacerbated communal tensions. In her speech, she said that Hindu groups could convert Muslims and make them wear kumkum (vermilion). “Being just 23%, if you are showing this much arrogance, how much (arrogance) should 70% Hindus show? This is the final warning for you. If you can stop doing ‘love jihad’, you will live. If 70% Hindus decide to convert 23% Muslims, and decide to love them, only two days are enough and you won’t see a single burqa in the houses of Muslims. We will put a kumkum on each Muslim girl’s forehead,” Chaitra had said to raucous cheers from the crowd. This incident led to heightened scrutiny of her activities and public statements.
Read: Hate speeches and Hindutva heroes: The making of a saffron shawl protester
Chaitra's political engagement has also been noteworthy. During the Karnataka Assembly elections, she campaigned actively for the BJP, particularly in Uttar Kannada. She often shared the stage with Hindutva leaders like Sri Rama Sena founder Pramod Muthalik (who contested against the BJP in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections from Karkala constituency) and Bajrang Dal’s Sharan Pumpwell.
Chaitra faced a ban from entering Kalaburagi’s Aland taluk from February 27 to March 3, 2022. The District Collector's order cited the need to maintain peace and harmony in the district as the primary reason for this restriction.
In addition to her political and ideological affiliations, Chaitra Kundapura's controversial reputation has been marred by previous legal entanglements. In 2018, she was arrested for assaulting a Hindu Jagarna Vedike activist, Guruprasad, during a heated verbal altercation. Guruprasad Panja and Chaitra Kundapura had been at loggerheads over the issue of conducting a ritual of sarpa samskara (the worshiping of a snake god).