Priyank Kharge Challenges BJP to List RSS Contributions, Renews Criticism

In a strongly worded post on social media, Kharge accused the BJP of defending the RSS not out of ideological conviction, but due to political compulsions. “As the RSS prepares to mark a century of its existence, can the BJP name even ten things it has done for the country’s economy, social reform, equality, or national unity?” he asked, addressing his challenge to BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra and former minister V. Sunil Kumar, who had criticised his recent remarks on the RSS.

Priyank Kharge recently stirred controversy by stating that the RSS would be banned if the Congress returned to power at the Centre. His comments drew sharp responses from BJP leaders.

Questioning the RSS’s role in India’s freedom movement, Kharge asked, “Where was the RSS during the Salt Satyagraha, one of the most iconic chapters in the freedom struggle? Why did it stay away from the Quit India Movement and instead align itself with the British colonial rulers?” He further accused the organisation of burning the draft of the Indian Constitution, opposing the national flag, and refusing to hoist the Tricolour for decades after independence.

Kharge alleged that BJP leaders defend the RSS only to safeguard their political future. “Their strings are held in Nagpur,” he said, referring to the RSS headquarters. “Even if they don’t agree, BJP leaders are compelled to support the RSS to protect their political ambitions.”

He went on to mock the BJP's professed loyalty to the Sangh. “If they truly believed in RSS values, wouldn’t they send their own children to shakhas instead of schools? No BJP leader’s child wears the RSS uniform or attends daily drills. They know that associating their children with the RSS could damage their future,” he said.

"If Prime Minister Modi were to suddenly launch a ‘Selfie with Shakha’ campaign for the children of BJP leaders, it would clearly reveal how committed they truly are to the RSS," he added.

Recalling history, Kharge said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had once banned the RSS.

“It would be good if Vijayendra and other BJP leaders recognised the historical truth that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel once considered the RSS a terrorist organisation and imposed a ban on it. Even if you are unafraid of lathis or attacks, you must fear the Constitution, because in this country, the Constitution is the ultimate authority,” he stated in the post.

“Let the BJP not forget that the RSS — a cancer that threatens national unity and shows contempt for the national anthem, flag, and Constitution — can be dealt with through the very remedies enshrined in the Constitution. Just because you wear khaki shorts and hold a stick, you don’t become powerful enough to challenge the Constitution, nor does that make you a patriot,” he added.