Karnataka BJP MP, minister Priyank Kharge trade barbs over RSS ban proposal
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Bengaluru: A political row has erupted in Karnataka after Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), IT and BT Priyank Kharge called for a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government institutions and public spaces, prompting sharp reactions from BJP leaders.
Rajya Sabha MP Narayansa Bhandage mocked the minister, saying he was confused about Priyank Kharge’s name as both men and women share similar names. Responding in kind, Kharge said, “whatever and however I am, I am good,” before adding, “If their fathers had given birth to them leisurely, this would not have happened,” a remark that further fueled the controversy.
Kharge had urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prohibit RSS programs in public spaces and government offices, arguing that the organization's activities were “contrary to India’s unity and the spirit of the Constitution.”
Bhandage hit back, questioning Kharge’s ability to enforce such a ban. “Will you ban the RSS? Is it possible? Even the most senior Congress leaders in history failed to ban the RSS,” he said. He noted that “It wasn’t possible for the grandfathers and great-grandfathers of the Congress party to ban the RSS,” adding that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had even allowed the group to participate in public events.
Responding to Kharge’s criticism that BJP leaders do not send their children to the RSS, Bhandage said, “My children and grandson are all in the RSS. Mr. Kharge, you should know that on January 26, 1962, the Nehru government permitted the RSS to take part in the Republic Day parade. Will you ban this now?”
Kharge retorted that BJP leaders “have no brain or logic” and challenged them to back their claims with documents. “These are people born leisurely by their fathers, and that’s why they behave like this,” he said, further escalating the war of words.
Former minister K.S. Eshwarappa also weighed in, saying, “Small politicians are making mad statements. Only those who are mad can make such a statement. The CM should have torn up the letter demanding an RSS ban and rubbished it.”
Defending the RSS, Eshwarappa said the organization, now in its centenary year, is recognized both in India and abroad for its contributions to society. “If they try to spit on the sun, it will only fall back on their faces. If an elephant is walking and dogs bark, it doesn’t affect the elephant. The RSS is the largest organization in the world in terms of social service,” he said.