Should RSS Activities Be Banned in Government Facilities?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Priyank Kharge calls for a ban on RSS activities.
- Claims these activities threaten national unity.
- His letter highlights the need for intervention.
- Political tensions may rise in Karnataka.
- The RSS may respond strongly to this demand.
New Delhi, Oct 12 (NationPress) Priyank Kharge, a Minister in the Karnataka government, has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to impose a ban on all forms of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities within government institutions and facilities, asserting that such actions undermine the unity of the country and the essence of the Constitution.
In a letter addressed to CM Siddaramaiah on October 4, he stated, “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been holding its shakhas in government and government-aided schools, as well as in public spaces, where slogans are chanted and negative ideologies are instilled in the minds of children and youth - ideologies that oppose India’s unity and the spirit of the Constitution.”
The letter was made public by the Karnataka CMO on Sunday.
Priyank Kharge, son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, accused divisive groups like the RSS of fostering hatred among the populace, arguing that it is crucial to suppress such forces to “maintain the secular values of our nation.”
In his letter, he further asserted, “Aggressive displays are being executed while wielding sticks (dandas), without securing police authorization, which leaves a detrimental psychological impact on innocent children and youth.”
Kharge demanded urgent intervention from the state government, insisting that the right-wing group must be prohibited from carrying out activities, including ‘shakhas’ within any government school or public areas such as parks and temples.
“I earnestly request that a ban be enforced on all forms of activities conducted by the RSS - whether under the guise of shakha, sanghik, or baithak - in government schools, government-aided schools, public playgrounds, parks, temples under the Muzrai Department, archaeological sites, and any other government properties,” he articulated in the letter.
The Karnataka minister’s strong condemnation of RSS activities and his call for a ban is likely to escalate political tensions in the state and provoke intense backlash from the organization as well as the BJP.