Priyank Kharge
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: A special court for MP/MLAs has ordered issuing notices to Ministers Priyank Kharge, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Youth Congress leader Mohammad Haris Nalapad, in a defamation case over their alleged comments against the RSS.
The court orders the notices on a private complaint filed by Tejas A, a Bengaluru resident associated with RSS since 2007. He said that in October 2025, Priyank wrote to the chief minister, requesting for a ban on RSS activities on government premises, including schools and grounds.
Priyank then shared the letter on X and posted “derogatory” statements against the RSS on social media platforms, he alleged.
Rao endorsed his Cabinet colleague’s opinion on X. During his official visit to Dakshina Kannada, he repeated the statements at media interactions, the complaint said.
Similarly, Nalapad made “derogatory” comments against the RSS in an interview with a YouTube channel, Tejas said, adding that he was “deeply” hurt by these statements and felt that such statements might lead to bad public opinion about the RSS.
The court recorded the sworn-in complainant’s statement and posted the matter to January 14, as a procedure prescribed under section 223 of the BNSS to hear the accused before taking cognisance. It also examined two witnesses cited by the complainant — Satish and Mahesh.