New Delhi, Nov 6 (NationPress) In response to claims regarding attempts to constrain the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by the Congress-led administration in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar stated on Thursday that the state government never claimed it would control the RSS. He emphasized that permission is required for organizing events in public areas.

The Deputy Chief Minister remarked: “We never said we would control the RSS.”

While addressing the media in New Delhi, Shivakumar answered questions about the matter.

When questioned about the supposed attempts to manage the RSS, he responded, “Where did we ever state we would control the RSS? We only said that permission must be obtained for conducting programmes in public places -- this applies to everyone.”

“Where did we mention the RSS? The discussion was already in the public domain. According to a directive issued by the previous Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar-led BJP government during his tenure, anyone wishing to conduct a public programme must seek approval. We never claimed that the RSS cannot hold programmes,” Shivakumar clarified.

When questioned about whether the state government faced a setback due to the High Court's ruling dismissing the appeal petition regarding the stay on the government's order, he stated, “There is no setback for the government. We will consult with our legal team and discuss the matter.”

“We respect the judiciary,” he stressed.

On the topic of the Mekedatu project, Shivakumar noted, “They are planning to establish a separate bench to address it. A date will be set, and let’s hope that justice is served for our state.”

He also declared that “Strict action will be taken against individuals who have not actively participated in Karnataka's signature campaign against voter fraud.”

When asked about potential protests in Karnataka over the alleged voter fraud in Haryana, Shivakumar confirmed, “Certainly, we will. We have already gathered lakhs of signatures. We will present them in Delhi on November 9.”

“I will be holding discussions with Congress’ block presidents. Strict action will be enforced against those who have not actively engaged in this campaign. The AICC General Secretaries have directed that those failing to fulfill their duties in the signature campaign should be relieved of their positions,” he added.

“I will discuss this with the Chief Minister and inform the MLAs,” he conveyed.

“Voter fraud is a serious national issue. We have already amassed around 70–80 lakh signatures in our state. Some MLAs and block-level Congress leaders have not taken this matter seriously -- strict action will be pursued against such individuals,” Shivakumar remarked.

“I will submit my report. I have the authority to dismiss the party’s block presidents. Regarding MLAs, I will inform the Chief Minister, and AICC leaders will provide guidance,” he mentioned.

When asked why the Election Commission was not addressing the voter fraud allegations in Haryana seriously, particularly after similar reports emerged in Karnataka and Maharashtra, Shivakumar stated, “In a democratic system, the people are supreme. We are raising awareness about these issues, and they will make the right choice at the appropriate time. We are informing citizens about what is occurring in the country.”

“We know what transpired in the Bengaluru South constituency -- we (Congress) lost there. Let’s not delve into my own Assembly constituency now; Rahul Gandhi himself is presenting evidence of irregularities in other constituencies to the public,” he concluded.