Priyank Kharge questions RSS donation practices, transparency

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Monday, 10 November, launched a pointed critique of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), demanding clarity on how the organisation funds its vast operations while remaining unregistered.

Responding to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent claim that the Sangh runs entirely on donations from its volunteers, Kharge — who is also the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge — raised a series of questions about the outfit’s financial transparency.

“Mr. Bhagwat has stated that the RSS functions through donations made by its volunteers. However, several legitimate questions arise regarding this claim,” Kharge wrote on X.

He asked who these volunteers are, how their contributions are collected, and through what official channels. “If the RSS operates transparently, why are donations not made directly to the organisation under its own registered identity?” he said, questioning how an unregistered body sustains its large-scale network, events, and full-time cadre of pracharaks.

Kharge also sought details on who bears the cost of uniforms, local offices, and outreach campaigns, arguing that such financial activity demands public accountability. “When every religious or charitable institution in India is required to maintain financial transparency, what justifies the absence of similar accountability mechanisms for the RSS?” he asked.

Bhagwat, in his remarks on Sunday, had said the RSS is “a body of individuals” and was never registered, noting that it was founded in 1925 under British rule. “Do you expect us to have registered with the British government?” he said, adding that post-Independence, registration was never made mandatory.

With PTI inputs