Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed that RSS shakha meetings should not be held on the premises of government and government-aided schools, public grounds, and other lands of the state government. The decision was based on a request made by Information Technology/Biotechnology, Rural Development, and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge.
The chief minister’s office on Sunday shared an October 4 letter written by Kharge, along with a note from Siddaramaiah asking officials to take immediate action.
“An organisation by the name of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is making use of government and aided schools, and public government grounds to hold shakhas, raise slogans that fill negative thoughts among children and the youth regarding the unity of the country and against the ideals of the Constitution,” Kharge wrote.
Kharge further wrote that the shakha meetings held without police permission had aggressive displays using lathis and were a bad influence on children and the youth. “In the interest of the children of the state, youth, (and) public and for the welfare of society, I urge you to ban activities of RSS going by the names of Shakha, Sanghik or Baitak held at government and aided schools, grounds, parks, temples under Muzrai Department, places under Archaeology department and any other government land,” he said.
Sharing a copy of the letter on X, Kharge said that an environment where a shoe could be hurled at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Dr B R Ambedkar was spoken ill of was created because of the “fundamentalist ideology” propounded by the RSS.
“I have submitted a request to the Chief Minister to prohibit RSS activities in all government public spaces, with the objective of upholding the ideals of the Constitution—unity, equality, and integrity—and to prevent the RSS’s attempts to create negative impacts on children and the youth community,” he said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge said the RSS could hold such events privately. “We have no problem with that. But my demand is that their activities should be banned in government land and public places,” he said.
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Kharge accused the RSS of stirring communal tensions in the name of protecting the Hindu religion and cows. “RSS ideology is dangerous. If it were not, would not RSS leaders follow it at their homes? Wasn’t it the RSS that opposed the Constitution in favour of Manusmriti?” he said.
State BJP president B Y Vijayendra said that only those who do not know the RSS background and activities carried out by it could make such demands. “This letter by Priyank Kharge, who is in a responsible position, displays his foolishness,” he said.
The Congress had banned the RSS twice or thrice, only to withdraw the bans later, Vijayendra said.
“Congress does not have the power to do this,” the BJP leader said, adding that the letter appeared to be aimed at appeasing the Gandhi family.