RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat dismissed Karnataka HM Priyank Kharge's calls for the Sangh's registration as a 'political gimmick'. He said the RSS is used to such things and drew an analogy, stating that 'Hindu Dharma is not registered' either.
Bhagwat dismisses demands as 'political gimmicks'
As calls for transparency from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spark a political row, its chief Mohan Bhagwat said that he doesn't need to respond to such demands made by Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge. He added that the Sangh was used to such "political gimmicks".
Bhagwat argued that the Hindu religion was also not registered. He was responding to a question at an event about the Karnataka government's charge of RSS' activities being "secretive", demanding that it get registered.
"I don't need to respond. There are so many unregistered things going on, and we are not secretive. We are working in the open. We are calling people and telling them about the Sangh. This is politics, and all these gimmicks are being tried. We are used to it. After 10-15 years of the Sangh's existence, we had to face all these things. We are used to it," Bhagwat said.
'Hindu Dharma is not registered'
Drawing an analogy, the RSS chief highlighted that many fundamental aspects of society are not formally registered. "Hindu Dharma is not registered. Many things are not registered. The government banned us twice, and those bans were lifted once by court order and again through Satyagraha. So the government knows the RSS exists. If they banned the RSS, it means they recognised its existence," Bhagwat remarked.
He reiterated that such accusations are politically motivated and not to be taken seriously. "All this is politics, nothing serious. They want, on one hand, to hamper the Sangh's work and, on the other, create doubts in the minds of people. But that is no longer possible because people know us," Bhagwat asserted.
Addressing 'secrecy' accusations
Addressing the accusation of "secrecy", Bhagwat emphasised the public nature of the Sangh's activities. "They say we are secretive. Our karyakartas (volunteers) live in all localities. People see them every day. Our shakhas are held in open grounds. People see them daily. We have public programmes," he stated.
Kharge defends letter, seeks clarity
Earlier on Monday, Priyank Kharge defended his open letter addressed to Mohan Bhagwat, saying that he had raised legal and constitutional questions that should be answered by the RSS itself.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge said that the issues highlighted in his letter pertained to the organisation's legal status and were not for him to explain.
The Karnataka Home Minister asserted that his letter sought clarity on matters relating to constitutional and legal provisions and maintained that the RSS leadership should respond to the concerns he had raised. "I am very clear. I have raised some legal issues, and I have asked some Constitutional questions. Let Mr Mohan Bhagwat answer, let the RSS answer. Why should I answer? They are the ones who are not registered. Why are they not getting registered--how can I answer this?" Kharge said.
Demands for transparency and accountability
In his letter, the Karnataka Minister sought clarity on RSS' legal status, financial transparency and constitutional accountability as the organisation marks 100 years of its existence.
Kharge said an organisation that claims to have over 60,000 shakhas and crores of swayamsevaks in India and abroad has a significant. presence in public life and, therefore, must be held to the "highest standards of transparency, accountability and constitutional compliance".
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)