New Delhi [India], July 28 : Karnataka Minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge on Tuesday sharpened his attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating that the organisation did not hoist the tricolour at its headquarters for 52 years after Independence.
Addressing a conclave on 'Why is a census of the RSS necessary?' in the national capital, Priyank Kharge claimed that the RSS had rejected the tricolour and Constitution.
Kharge said, "SP Mookerjee had written a detailed letter to John Herbert, who was the then Governor of Bengal, as to how the Quit India Movement could be destroyed completely. In 1929, when the entire India unanimously said that we will unfurl the tricolour on January 26, 1930, one organisation - RSS - disagreed. Dr Hedgewar of the RSS issued an order that they would not unfurl the Tricolour on January 26, 1930. The order stated that 'rashtriya dhwaj' saffron flag - not Tiranga - would be hoisted at every RSS branch on 21st January 1930."
"This official order can be read in Hedgewar's book. When in 1947, we attained independence, the RSS outrightly rejected our Tiranga. Their magazine, Organiser, published an article on 14th August 1947. It stated that 'the people who come to power by the kick of faith may give in your hands the Tricolour, but it will never be respected and owned by us (RSS). The word three in itself is an evil, and a flag having three colours will certainly produce a very bad psychological effect and is injurious to a country.' For 52 years, Tiranga was never hoisted in RSS headquarters. It happened only after a court order in 2002," the Congress leader added.
He asked, how will an organisation not respecting the national flag and Constitution respect the public?
"Not just Tiranga, they did not accept even our Constitution...They have said that Manusmriti should continue to be our Constitution. This is their history. How will an organisation that does not respect Tiranga or the Constitution respect you? They used to observe Black Day on Independence Day and Republic Day," Kharge said.
Priyank Kharge has been critical of the RSS and has demanded its legal registration for transparency.
Last month, reiterated his demand for clarity on the organisation's constitutional and financial compliance. He also asserted that if the organisation provides valid clarification and "papers," he would apologise.
He has also targeted the RSS over the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.