Bengaluru: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Tuesday shared a video of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge attending an event held by the outfit back in 2002, within hours of Karnataka minister and Kharge’s son, Priyank Kharge, threatening to ban it if Congress is voted to power at Centre again.
“Many prominent figures, including Shri Mallikarjuna Kharge, listed the peace conference of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) held in Nagwara, Bengaluru on 25, 26, 27 January 2002,” read a message accompanying the video clip shared by RSS with media persons Tuesday.
The 37-second clip is of poor quality, but a figure resembling Kharge can be seen. An individual speaking on the microphone can be heard referring to the Congress leader as “Sangh admirer”. A picture of the event shows Kharge, then Karnataka cabinet minister Roshan Baig, and former Bengaluru city police commissioner H.T. Sangliana purportedly attending the event.
Kharge was the home minister in S.M. Krishna’s cabinet at the time. ThePrint attempted to reach him for a comment via phone calls, but he did not respond.
On Tuesday, Priyank, a vocal critic of the Sangh, alleged that RSS was trying to alter the Constitution, and said that the Congress had banned the organisation in the past as well, adding that lifting the ban was “our (Congress’s) mistake”. He said that the RSS fell at our feet, saying that it would not indulge in anti-national activities.
Asked if the Congress will ban the pro-Hindutva organisation, he said, “We will see. It won’t be the first time they will be banned, right?”
Priyank’s latest attack comes after RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s sought a review of the inclusion of the “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, which was done during the Emergency.
“RSS leaders have long pushed to erase the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ from our Constitution. Now, BJP leaders have started parroting the same demand, conveniently ignoring the fact that the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld their inclusion as integral to the Constitution’s spirit…” Priyank had posted on X, adding that the RSS should take “a long, hard look at the BJP’s own party constitution”.
RSS leaders have long pushed to erase the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ from our Constitution. Now, BJP leaders have started parroting the same demand, conveniently ignoring the fact that the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld their inclusion as integral to the Constitution’s… pic.twitter.com/flX46Xfs0j
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) July 1, 2025
“Article II of its preamble clearly states that the BJP is committed to the principles of socialism and secularism. Perhaps they should begin by amending that first,” he wrote.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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