BENGALURU: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday claimed that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has not replied to his letter on the issue of registration of the Sangh.
Addressing reporters in New Delhi, he, however, urged Bhagwat to reply to his letter as he had written it as a representative of the state government.
“A video of Dr Bhagwatji being widely circulated as response to my letter is false. I dispatched my letter and also put it on social media on June 15. While this interaction by the RSS chief was on June 13/14,” he said, adding that he posted it on X tagging a video clip of Bhagwat with June 14 as its dateline. “Mohan Bhagat’s justification at Thrissur in Kerala on June 13 was not in response to my letter. It was his reply to a question on not allowing the RSS route march in Chittapur (Priyank’s assembly constituency) earlier,” he clarified, adding that he has not received a response from Bhagwat to his June 15 letter.
Claiming that it was not his personal letter to the RSS chief, Priyank said, “Bhagwat must give a proper reply to my letter.” He said according to a report by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest policy-making body of the Sangh, there are 4,127 branches of RSS in the state and 562 roadshows have been held. An organisation organising such activities should be accountable, he added.
The minister said instead of the RSS chief, the BJP is responding to his letter. Clarifying that he is not against the activities of the RSS, Priyank said what he is insisting is that the law of the land should be followed.
Rowdy sheeters’ list
Priyank said that instructions have been given to officers in the home department to withhold a proposal to remove 66 names from the rowdy sheeters’ list.
“There is information that there are 10 to 12 notorious rowdies in the list. I have sought an explanation in this regard from the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner. Proper action will be taken on this matter. The list includes the names of some BJP workers also,” he said.
