Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge asks RSS to disclose accounts
Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has stepped up his criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), questioning its financial transparency and arguing that official registration would make the organisation more accountable.
In a post on social media, Kharge said the RSS appeared to fear registration because it could lead to legal scrutiny, disclosure of financial information and greater public accountability.
The minister posed several questions about the organisation’s finances, including who provides its funds, where the money comes from, how it is spent and who audits its accounts. He also questioned who bears responsibility for its financial operations.
Kharge argued that if the RSS had nothing to hide, it should not hesitate to make its financial records available for public scrutiny. His remarks have renewed the political debate over the organisation’s status and activities in Karnataka.
The latest criticism comes after Kharge’s recent comments on the RSS Vijayadashami route march attracted widespread attention and drew strong reactions from BJP leaders.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a counterattack, asking the Congress to disclose the sources of its own funding. He questioned whether the party received money from Pakistan or the United States and challenged Kharge to respond to his allegations.
Ashoka defended the RSS, claiming that its volunteers could explain where its funding came from. He also questioned Kharge’s position in the government and challenged him to justify his repeated criticism of the organisation.
The BJP leader called on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to speak on the issue, asking why he had remained silent. Ashoka said RSS route marches were organised across India and that the Karnataka event was traditionally held during Vijayadashami.
He maintained that the marches were part of the organisation’s longstanding activities and were conducted in the name of serving the nation. Ashoka also alleged that the process of securing permission for the event had become difficult under the current government.
Referring to the period when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, Ashoka said permission had been available for such events at that time.
The war of words highlights the growing confrontation between Congress and the BJP over the RSS’s public activities and financial accountability. Kharge has demanded greater transparency from the organisation, while Ashoka has defended it and shifted the debate towards the Congress’s own finances. The competing claims have added to the political tensions surrounding the RSS route march in Karnataka.
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