Former Bengaluru Police Chief Slams Minister Kharge Over RSS Remarks

Former Bengaluru Police Chief Bhaskar Rao has criticized Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge for making unsubstantiated claims linking the RSS to high-profile murders, urging the minister to prioritize departmental decorum and evidence-based action.

Former Police Commissioner Criticizes Home Minister's Remarks

Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao has written to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, flagging what he termed “irresponsible” remarks linking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, scholar MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh, and urging him not to undermine the reputation of the Home Department and Karnataka Police. In his letter, Rao said Kharge's reported statement, “Sanghwalon ne maara unko” (People from the Sangh killed them), amounted to a sweeping allegation that should not be made without evidence or judicial conclusions.

“As a former Indian Police Service officer who has served the State and understands the responsibilities, discipline and institutional dignity associated with policing, I am constrained to express my serious concern over your recent public statements targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), particularly your remarks concerning the murders of Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, Prof. M. M. Kalburgi and Smt. Gauri Lankesh,” Rao wrote. He emphasised that criminal investigations must be based on evidence and that guilt must be established through judicial proceedings. He also underlined the distinction between the roles of the Home Minister and the police leadership.

Concerns Over Ministerial Conduct and Fact-Checking

“The Home Minister cannot become a spokesperson for individual criminal investigations, pronounce conclusions in pending cases or substitute political opinions for the findings of investigating officers and courts,” he said. Rao also questioned Kharge's November 10 post on X, which allegedly attempted to establish an RSS connection with accused persons in the Bihar-Haryana ammunition-smuggling case. He claimed that the image was subsequently questioned over alleged manipulation and discrepancies with the original photograph.

“Who will fact-check the Home Minister when he himself shares an AI-generated or manipulated image?” Rao asked, urging Kharge to exercise greater caution while sharing information publicly. The former police commissioner further called on the minister to focus on improving police infrastructure, filling vacancies, strengthening forensic laboratories, upgrading cybercrime investigation facilities and ensuring better equipment, housing and personnel training.

Institutional Integrity and Political Interference

“The police force needs administrative support, adequate resources and professional independence, not political interference or unnecessary controversies,” he wrote. Rao urged Kharge to maintain the decorum expected of his office, adding that the reputation of the Home Department and Karnataka Police should not be compromised for political gains. The controversy follows Kharge's remarks at a Muslim Youth League conference in Kochi, where he alleged that people associated with the Sangh Parivar were responsible for the killings and said he would ensure those responsible were jailed. The murder cases of Gauri Lankesh and MM Kalburgi are still under trial.

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