Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has said that no cases of communal riots or other crimes were registered against the RSS.
Kharge's remarks came in response to a question by Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who sought details of cases registered against the RSS, its involvement in communal riots and any untoward incidents reported during its route marches (pathasanchalan) and daily gatherings (shakhas).
"There are no cases registered," Kharge said in a written reply in the Legislative Council.
The reply was seized upon by the BJP to target Kharge, a vocal critic of the RSS, who has been pursuing issues concerning the legal status of the organisation.
Kharge has also hit back at the Opposition on the matter.
Posting Kharge's written reply on 'X', Narayanaswamy said, "The documents themselves speak the truth: Home Minister's political vendetta against the RSS laid bare!"
"Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who has consistently pursued a politics of hatred, jealousy and hostility against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an organisation that has patriotism as its guiding principle, has now been confronted with official records from his own department," he said.
The LOP further asked Kharge that when his own department has officially stated that there are no cases and no record of any untoward incidents, why does he continue to pursue political vendetta against the RSS?
"As the person responsible for effectively leading the state Home Department, why are you engaging in political allegations and counter-allegations targeting the RSS instead of focusing on serious issues such as law and order? Why is your attention focused on political vendetta against the RSS when the state faces several serious law-and-order challenges," he asked.
"There are thousands of problems in your department and in your own district (Kalaburagi). First, focus on resolving them," he added.
Former Minister and BJP MLA Sunil Kumar, pointing at a similar response given by then Home Minister G Parameshwara in the Assembly in December, 2025 along with Kharge's reply in the Council, said, "Two Home Ministers, one organization! Mr. Priyank Kharge, the Home Minister who spews hatred against the RSS day in and day out, here is what you have written about the organization in the Council."
"'Goebbels Congress' leaders, no matter how many lies you tell, you cannot tarnish the values and culture of the RSS," he posted on 'X'.
The Karnataka BJP, on its official 'X' handle too took a dig at Kharge and said, "Imagine hating a patriotic organization so much, only to get publicly fact-checked by your OWN ministry! And the absolute cherry on the cake? IT WAS SIGNED BY HIM!"
Responding to BJP's post, Minister Kharge said no registration means no registered legal entity and when the organisation itself has no such formal legal identity, demanding records against the organisation while ignoring that distinction is either ignorance or sheer stupidity.
"BJP you are putting RSS into an embarrassing situation by asking the right questions. If you ask about an organisation that has no formal legal existence, and naturally the answer is: "No." he posted on 'X'.
"Aren't you fools aware? RSS is not a registered organisation. It does not even issue formal membership cards. So when individuals associated with it are accused of offences, cases are registered against those individuals. (Remember how you disowned Godse?)," he added.
Stating that BJP offices in Bengaluru and Delhi are not registered, Kharge said, "That is precisely the issue. Influence without accountability. Assets without ownership in its own name. Members without formal membership. Power without accountability."
"That is why I am asking RSS to register itself, come within a transparent legal framework and disclose its accounts, assets, funding and liabilities," he added.