Priyank Kharge asks RSS to ‘follow the law’ amid row over registration and accountability

A fresh political row has erupted over the legal status and accountability of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), with Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge urging the organisation to "shun arrogance" and subject itself to the same standards of transparency and legal scrutiny as other public bodies.

Kharge's remarks came in response to comments made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who recently dismissed demands for the organisation to formally register itself, arguing that the RSS operates openly and has nothing to hide.

In a social media post late on Monday, Kharge questioned Bhagwat's assertion that the RSS was under no obligation to answer such questions, despite exercising considerable social and political influence across the country.

"In a constitutional democracy, no institution, however old or influential, can claim exemption from public accountability," Kharge said, adding that organisations operating at such a scale must be prepared to explain their legal status, structure and functioning.

The Congress leader argued that while the RSS has every right to function as a cultural organisation, it cannot simultaneously maintain significant influence over public and political life while claiming it has no political role and therefore owes no accountability.

He pointed to the Bharatiya Janata Party's long-standing acknowledgment of the RSS as its ideological mentor and said the organisation's role in shaping public discourse was beyond dispute.

Kharge further contended that the RSS receives support through an extensive network of affiliated bodies in India and abroad and operates from large organisational headquarters across the country. He also referred to security arrangements provided to senior RSS functionaries, arguing that organisations benefiting from public resources should be subject to greater transparency.

The minister had earlier written to Bhagwat seeking clarity on the RSS's legal status and requesting disclosures relating to its funding, assets, income and expenditure.

Bhagwat, speaking during an interaction in Kerala's Thrissur on Sunday, rejected calls for registration, describing them as politically motivated. He maintained that the RSS conducts its activities in the open and is well known to the government.

The RSS chief also argued that registration is generally required for entities seeking government funds and drew a distinction between such organisations and the Sangh.

Referring to the RSS's origins during the colonial era, Bhagwat said the organisation had evolved through public participation and consensus. He also remarked that Hindu Dharma itself is not registered, suggesting that the same logic applied to the RSS.

Kharge sharply disagreed with that comparison, calling it "flawed and absurd". He argued that no religion is required to register with the state and that an organisation founded a century ago could not equate itself with a faith tradition followed for millennia.

He clarified that he had no objection to the RSS carrying out cultural, social, educational or political activities, provided it operates within the framework of the law and adheres to accepted standards of transparency.

The controversy also drew comments from Karnataka Congress president B.K. Hariprasad, who criticised Bhagwat's comparison of the RSS with Hindu Dharma.

Hariprasad said Hinduism was an ancient and diverse civilisation that could not be reduced to any single organisation or ideology. He described attempts to equate the RSS with Hindu Dharma as inappropriate and questioned whether those who claim to represent Hindu interests endorsed such a view.

"Hinduism belongs to all Hindus, not to any one organisation," he said.

The exchange marks the latest flashpoint in the ongoing political debate over the role, influence and accountability of the RSS in public life.

With IANS inputs