'RSS is the ghost, BJP its shadow': Priyank Kharge targets organisation over its funding, says will ensure it gets registered

Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge slammed the RSS and its ideological offspring BJP on Sunday, claiming that the BJP was “weaker than the JD(S)” without RSS.

“Without RSS, BJP is weaker than JD(S). We are fighting with the shadow of the ghost, which is useless. If RSS is the ghost, BJP is the shadow. The country will reform if we directly battle with the ghost.”

He was speaking during the release of Journalist Irshad Uppinangady’s work Karavaliya Rakta Kanneeru.

Priyank, who had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in October to ban activities of the RSS on government premises, public spaces and so on. He has also been on the forefront in attacking the Hindutva outfit over its unregistered status.

“Mohan Bhagawat says the RSS need not register. However, they must register either today or tomorrow. I will make them do it. They say RSS is not an organisation but a people's forum. Even Bengaluru Club is a private organisation. Won’t they register as per the law and pay taxes?” the Minister sought to know.

He also took severe exception to the practice of “Guru Dakshina” in the RSS.

“RSS says they won’t collect donations but only guru dakshinas. There’s no answer as to where they get so much money from. Who is the Guru? The flag (Bhagwa) itself is the guru it seems. Including America, they have connections with over 2,500 institutions across the world. We pay taxes but they don’t. This is against the law.”

Referring to the RSS not hoisting the tricolour on their headquarters for 52 years, the minister said: “Without fighting communalism and protecting the Constitution, a mature society and a prosperous India cannot be built.”

Veteran journalist and former media advisor to the chief minister Dinesh Amin Mattu felt that communalism couldn't be defeated by electoral politics alone, adding that cultural politics was needed too.