BENGALURU: Karnataka Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding a complete ban on the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) across the state. He argued that RSS programs and drills held in public spaces and government premises are contrary to India’s constitutional values of unity, secularism, and equality.
In his letter, Kharge, who is also the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, alleged that the RSS has been conducting its shakhas (training sessions) in government and government-aided schools, as well as in public parks and playgrounds. These sessions, he said, involve slogans and drills that instill divisive ideas among children and young people.
The Chief Minister’s Office confirmed receipt of Kharge’s letter, which was later shared with the media. “The RSS’s belief system stands in contradiction to India’s ideals of unity and its secular framework,” Kharge wrote. “Our Constitution gives the State the authority to act against elements that spread hatred and disturb harmony.”
Kharge also alleged that RSS members were conducting physical training exercises with sticks and without police permission, warning that such activities could have a psychological impact on youth. He called for a state-wide prohibition on RSS activities—whether under the name of shakha, sanghik, or baithak—in government institutions, public parks, temples under the Muzrai Department, archaeological sites, and other state-controlled spaces.
He said that both citizens and the State bear constitutional responsibility to prevent organizations that promote division and hatred, ensuring that democratic and secular principles remain protected.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and MLC B.K. Hariprasad intensified the attack, describing the RSS as the “Indian Taliban.” He alleged that the RSS is not a registered body and holds public events wielding sticks and swords without permission. “They should prove their legal status,” he said, calling for firm action similar to the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu government.
Hariprasad also reminded that during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress had pledged to take action against groups like the Bajrang Dal for spreading communal hatred, and urged the government to fulfill that promise. The controversy erupted as RSS marches were held across several parts of Bengaluru on Sunday, drawing renewed attention to the organization’s public presence in the state.
