Priyank Kharge RSS Ban Praposal: BJP Tag Old Photo of Mallikarjun Kharge at RSS Event
Bengaluru: Minister Priyank Kharge’s letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government spaces has triggered a political firestorm, with senior BJP leaders launching a fierce counterattack.
In a sharp rebuttal, BJP leaders tagged an old photo of Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge attending an RSS event in 2002, questioning the party’s current stance.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka posted on social media platform X, accusing Priyank Kharge of “spewing venom against RSS to please the fake Gandhi family.” He wrote, “In 2002, during the Samarasata Sangama event in Nagawara, your father Mallikarjun Kharge, then Home Minister, visited the RSS camp and appreciated its social work. Before criticizing RSS, learn your own family’s history.”
ಇಲ್ಲೊಮ್ಮೆ ನೋಡಿ @PriyankKharge !
ಇಂದು ನೀವು ಆರೆಸ್ಸೆಸ್ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ವಿಷ ಕಾರುತ್ತಾ ಸಂಘದ ಚಟುವಟಿಕೆ “ನಿಷೇಧಿಸಬೇಕು” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದೀರ. ಆದರೆ 2002ರಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ನಾಗವಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಸಮರಸತಾ ಸಂಗಮ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ, ಅಂದು ಗೃಹಸಚಿವರಾಗಿದ್ದ ನಿಮ್ಮ ತಂದೆ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಖರ್ಗೆ ಅವರು ಸ್ವತಃ ಆ ಶಿಬಿರಕ್ಕೆ ಭೇಟಿ… https://t.co/rCjUtLvk5y pic.twitter.com/kTdiNm9weu— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) October 12, 2025
Speaking at the BJP office earlier, Ashoka further alleged that Congress leaders referred to those involved in cooker bomb blasts as “brothers.” “Ban them first. RSS is not your property to touch. You’ll be reduced to ashes if you try. Public grounds are not Congress-owned. I will go there myself. Try stopping me,” he challenged.
Ashoka mocked Congress’s attempts to suppress RSS, saying, “Even Nehru and Indira Gandhi couldn’t intimidate us. You are no match. RSS is a mighty elephant; your threats are like mosquito bites. Even if another generation of fake Gandhis emerges, they won’t succeed.”
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also weighed in, calling the proposal a “childish ban.” “We’ve seen many such bans. Congress tried it before, Nehru thundered, and he’s gone. Today, 65% of the country supports RSS ideology. We’re not afraid of Congress’s empty threats,” Joshi said.
He accused Congress of having an “understanding” with PFI and aligning with the Muslim League in Kerala. “Those who plant bombs are Congress’s brothers. The fake Gandhis who divided the country still favor divisive forces,” Joshi added. The controversy continues to escalate, with no official government order issued yet.
Also Read: Priyank Kharge RSS ban statement: Sunil Kumar warning to government
