Bengaluru: Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge has accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of operating without transparency while enjoying government-funded privileges. He argued that all non-governmental organisations in India are required to register and disclose their finances, and the RSS should be no exception.
Kharge asked why the RSS, which has publicly admitted it is not a registered body, receives high-level state protection at taxpayer expense. He questioned the need for such privileges when the organisation already has an extensive cadre network. The RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat currently receives Advanced Security Liaison (ASL) protection, a level equivalent to that of the Union Home Minister, with nearly 60 CISF commandos and bulletproof vehicles.
Kharge alleged that the RSS avoids financial scrutiny by remaining unregistered. “If it serves the nation selflessly, why not register like other NGOs? Where do their funds come from, and who pays the pracharaks?” he wrote on X. He suggested that its lack of accountability raises questions about its funding and motives.
The minister’s remarks follow a series of attacks he and his family faced after he called for restrictions on RSS activities on public premises. His comments echo earlier statements by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who urged the government to consider a ban on the organisation. The RSS, founded in 1925, has faced multiple bans in the past for actions viewed as divisive and detrimental to national unity.
