BENGALURU: Congress and BJP leaders in Karnataka exchanged sharp political barbs over RSS’ legal status and allegations of corruption involving a family trust linked to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge.
Priyank Kharge recently questioned the status of RSS’ registration and its transparency, ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s visit to Bengaluru.
In a sarcastic remark, Priyank Kharge stated that he did not know whether Bhagwat would bring the “papers on RSS registration” on his arrival. He added that he had inquired about the matter but received no response.
In response, BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginkai urged Priyank Kharge to understand the RSS better. “I want to tell Priyank that he should know once what RSS is and how it is,” Tenginkai said. He described the organisation as one that has existed for 100 years and invited the minister to visit a Sangh branch for an hour to observe its work firsthand.
Tenginkai further accused critics of trying to create problems in Karnataka.
The controversy has taken a personal turn with BJP accusations against the Kharge family. BJP leaders, including national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, alleged that Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyank Kharge, and other family members -including senior Kharge’s son-in-law and wife - are associated with the Siddhartha Vihar Trust.
They claim that the trust has been used to seize control of various land parcels, including government-allotted plots, by leveraging political influence and usurping properties belonging to the poor.
Priyank Kharge has strongly denied the allegations, saying the property papers are publicly available and he is ready to discuss them on any platform. He questioned why, despite five BJP chief ministers in Karnataka and 12 years of the Modi government at the Centre, no action was taken if wrongdoing existed. “If there was wrongdoing, why am I still roaming free and not in jail,” he asked.
He remarked that the BJP is “trying so hard to please the RSS” and contrasted demands for Ram Mandir accounts with questions about “Lord Buddha in Kalaburagi.”
Priyank Kharge further challenged the RSS to disclose its own accounts and details, asking when its “political masters” would show their papers.
Meanwhile, a viral video featuring the purported voice of a senior BJP sitting MP has added fuel to the fire.
In the video, the MP is heard describing the RSS as “dangerous” and suggesting that those who question the organisation could face serious repercussions.