Won't be silenced: Kharge defiant after court summons over RSS remarks

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, summoned by a Bengaluru court over alleged defamatory remarks against the RSS, vows he won't be intimidated into silence. He asserted he would continue to question the Sangh Parivar's status and accountability.

'Won't Be Silenced': Kharge Responds to Court Summons

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday asserted that he would not be intimidated into silence and would continue raising questions about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after a Bengaluru court issued summons against him over his earlier remarks against the Sangh Parivar.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said that he has nothing to fear if the Constitution is on his side. "If they think they can silence us, we are not going to ask questions about the existence of RSS here in Karnataka; they are mistaken. I have nothing to fear if I have the Constitution by my side."

Defamation Complaint and Legal Action

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge and Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Mohammed Haris Nalapad have been summoned by a Bengaluru court after it took cognisance of a private complaint alleging that the two leaders made defamatory remarks against the RSS. The court took cognisance of the offence of criminal defamation under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and issued summons as part of the proceedings.

Speaking to ANI, complainant Tejas Gowda earlier said that he decided to pursue legal action after he felt deeply hurt by the alleged remarks and consulted his advocate before approaching the court. "I have been deeply hurt in my sentiments, so I met my advocate and discussed the matter. As directed by my advocate, we filed a petition in the court, and the court has also agreed to it. Now it has taken up the inquiry and given summons," Tejas Gowda said. He added that the matter was being pursued strictly through legal means. "We, the Swayamsevaks, have been respecting the law of the land, and we have met the advocate, and we are fighting legally in the court," he said.

Ongoing Scrutiny of RSS

Priyank Kharge has repeatedly called attention to the relationship between the BJP and the RSS, alleging that the party has functioned as a mere instrument of the RSS. He had also sought clarity from the RSS regarding its constitutional status and financial compliance, triggering sharp reactions from the BJP and allied organisations.

In a post on X earlier, Kharge said the BJP "rattles" whenever the RSS faces scrutiny, reacting defensively each time. He brought up several questions, which, according to him, ignite the same response: why an outfit, which Kharge claimed stayed out of the independence movement, now positions itself as an authority on patriotism, and why nearly five decades passed before the national flag was raised at the RSS's Nagpur headquarters.

This come amid a continuing row that began after Kharge wrote an open letter to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat seeking clarity on the organisation's legal status, financial transparency and constitutional accountability as it marks 100 years of its existence, saying an organisation that claims over 60,000 shakhas and crores of swayamsevaks in India and abroad must be held to the "highest standards of transparency, accountability and constitutional compliance". (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)