Bengaluru, Oct 12, Daily Mail 24: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed officials to verify and take appropriate action after IT-BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge sought a statewide ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government institutions and public spaces. The Chief Minister marked the proposal for “immediate necessary action” and is reported to have forwarded it to the concerned authorities.
In a letter dated October 4 addressed to the Chief Minister, Priyank Kharge argued that the organisation’s activities go against the Constitution’s secular spirit and the nation’s unity. He urged the government to intervene firmly, stating that the ban is essential to safeguard the interests of children, youth, and society at large.
Mr. Kharge—son of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge—alleged that RSS shakhas and related gatherings are being held on government premises, including government and aided schools, public grounds, state-owned temples, archaeological sites, and parks. According to him, such programmes involve slogan chanting and the promotion of ideas that could negatively influence young minds.
The Minister insisted that activities conducted under the banners of shakha, sanghik, or baithak should not be allowed on any government-owned property. He further claimed that some of these gatherings take place without prior police permission and that participants are often seen carrying sticks, which he believes could have a psychological impact on children and adolescents.
The timing of the development is significant, as the RSS recently marked its 100th year, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciating its contributions to social upliftment and welfare.
Mr. Kharge maintained that the Constitution provides both citizens and the State with the authority to oppose organisations or ideologies that create division. Secular and democratic values, he said, must be actively protected by the government.
The Chief Minister’s Office shared the letter with the media on Sunday. In it, Mr. Kharge contended that the RSS’s ideology is incompatible with India’s secular and unifying principles. He wrote that when groups promote discord and discrimination, the government has a constitutional responsibility to contain such elements and defend the nation’s core values of equality, integrity, and unity.
