Karnataka’s Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge has alleged that he has been receiving a series of threat calls and abusive messages after questioning the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in government institutions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the minister said,
“For the past two days, my phone hasn’t stopped ringing. Calls filled with threats, intimidation, and the filthiest abuse directed at me and my family, simply because I dared to question and restrain RSS activities in government schools, colleges and public institutions.”
Despite the threats, Kharge — who is the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge — said he remained unfazed and resolute.
“When the RSS didn’t spare Mahatma Gandhi or Babasaheb Ambedkar, why would they spare me?” he wrote, adding that intimidation would not silence him.
Kharge’s Remarks and Call for Ban
The minister’s comments come days after he wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to ban RSS activities in government and government-aided schools and public grounds.
In his letter, Kharge alleged that the RSS conducts shakhas (training sessions) in educational institutions and public spaces, “where slogans are shouted and divisive ideas are instilled in the minds of children and youth.”
He said such actions violate India’s constitutional values and undermine national unity.
Reaffirming his stance, Kharge stated that his goal was to build a society rooted in the values of Buddha, Basavanna, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar — one “based on equality, reason, and compassion.”
“It’s time to purge the nation of the most dangerous ‘viRuSS’,” he remarked, in a pointed reference to the RSS.
Political Context
Kharge’s remarks have added fuel to Karnataka’s ongoing political debate between the Congress government and right-wing groups.
While Congress leaders have backed his right to question the RSS’s influence, BJP leaders have condemned his comments as “provocative and divisive.”
The state police are reportedly reviewing the threat calls received by the minister and may initiate an inquiry.
Originally published on newsworldstime.com.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
