'Is Mohan Bhagwat running country?': Priyank Kharge attacks Centre

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Friday, 7 August stepped up his attack on the BJP-led Centre, questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence from Parliament and urging the Union government to play a more proactive role in resolving inter-state river disputes amid changing climatic conditions.

Responding to questions about a viral video featuring the prime minister, Kharge questioned who was governing the country if neither Modi nor Union home minister Amit Shah was attending Parliament.

"Who is running the country? If the prime minister is making a video, who is running the country? The prime minister does not come to Parliament, and the home minister does not come to Parliament. Who is running the country? Is Mohan Bhagwat running the country?" he asked.

Kharge also took aim at RSS chief Bhagwat over his recent remarks on foreign policy, alleging that the Sangh was increasingly commenting on political issues despite claiming to be a non-political organisation.

"Mohan Bhagwat gave another statement yesterday. He said we should have a dialogue with China and Pakistan. On one hand, he says it (RSS) is not a political organisation, and on the other, he has a special opinion on every political issue. They are a confused lot. That is why I have requested them to call me to their organisation. I will listen to their ideology and also tell them what they should do," he said.

Over the past several months, Kharge has repeatedly questioned the RSS's legal and financial status, sought details of its funding and registration, argued that it should be subject to the same statutory scrutiny as other organisations, and accused it of wielding political influence without public accountability. The exchanges have frequently drawn responses from Bhagwat and triggered legal proceedings against the Congress leader.

On the Cauvery water dispute, the Congress leader asserted that Karnataka was acting within the legal framework and was not diverting any share of water allocated to Tamil Nadu.

"I cannot comment on what happens in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The law is very clear; we don't need anybody's permission to use excess water that is being drained into the sea. The Supreme Court has also upheld this. We are not taking a single drop of water that is due to Tamil Nadu. We are legally bound and constitutionally bound to follow whatever the Supreme Court says," he said.

Kharge, however, argued that the recurring disputes over river water sharing highlighted the need for greater intervention by the Centre, particularly as climate change and erratic weather patterns were intensifying water stress across states.

"It is not just about Cauvery, Krishna or Mahadayi. The prime minister should intervene. There should be better standard operating procedures during drought times on how to mitigate these situations when there is not enough water. This is not man-made; these are natural processes happening due to the super El Niño. What is the prime minister doing about it? What is the home minister, under whom the NDRF comes, doing? These systems need to be strengthened and adapted to changing climatic conditions," he said.

Asked about speculation surrounding a possible cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka, Kharge said every minister was bound by the decisions of the Congress leadership.

"Ultimately, whether it is me or anybody else, we have to adhere to what the high command says. Tomorrow, if the party says, 'Priyank, you've had a great stint in the cabinet; it's time for you to step down and do party work,' we all have to adhere to it. It is applicable to me and to anybody else," he said.

Kharge's remarks come amid continuing exchanges between the Congress and BJP over Parliament proceedings, Centre-state relations and federal issues. The Cauvery dispute has once again come into focus after discussions in the Tamil Nadu Assembly over Karnataka's proposal to utilise surplus water, with both states maintaining that their positions are consistent with the Supreme Court's directions and the Cauvery Water Management Authority's framework.

With PTI inputs