Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 17 : Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ABVP, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), declaring that the Congress party does not require validation of its patriotism from organisations that contributed nothing to India's freedom struggle.
Addressing a press conference, Kharge said, "And whether it's BJP Yuva Morcha, ABVP, or whether it is RSS, we don't need certificates of being national or anti-national from them. These are the same people who have not done anything for the freedom struggle. Their political mentors didn't even hoist the flag for 52 years."
Kharge's comments followed an FIR registered against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over alleged disruptions during the rendition of "Vande Mataram" on Independence Day, while also doubling down on fellow Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah's harsh criticism of the RSS.
Rejecting the opposition's allegations, Kharge accused the Sangh Parivar of political opportunism and using national symbols as political tools.
"The BJP is just interested in weaponising these things -- the national song, the national anthem. Everything they want to weaponise. So, whatever it is, they can file how many ever cases they want. We don't need any certificate of Desh Bhakti from these people," he added following the FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over alleged disruption during the rendition of the National Song "Vande Mataram" on Independence Day.
Addressing the rescheduling of the UGC-NET examination and the leadership of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Kharge criticised the Union Government's management of student concerns.
Kharge said, "So where is Mr Joshi? These are the people who refused to let go of Mr Dharmendra Pradhan for so many months. Lakhs of students across the country had to protest. Then very reluctantly, apparently in the interest of anti-national forces not coming together, he resigned, not for the children's future."
Speaking about the change of Union Education Minister, Kharge said, "And then they replaced one with another. That time only I told you that it is old wine in a new bottle. Nothing is going to happen. Mr Joshi is as incompetent as Mr Pradhan. That is... this is a fact."
He also linked the RSS to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
"Your paper leaks... your NEET paper leak. Who was there? An RSS chap was there. Who has taken over all the institutions? And these are the people who are slowly brainwashing everybody. I am hopeful that Gen Z will not commit the same mistakes that we did, and they will be able to see through the design of RSS," Kharge said.
Responding to Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah's earlier remark describing the RSS as a "thousand-headed venomous snake," Kharge asserted that the impact was even broader and linked the organisation to issues within educational bodies.
"I don't think it's a thousand-headed snake. There are millions of people whom they have brainwashed, whom they have let loose to sow seeds of discontentment, to sow communal seeds, and it is evident. It is extremely evident. You please see their history. The problem is nobody has read their history properly. Zero contribution with respect to nation-building, but 100% contribution to create chaos within the country," he said.
Kharge's statements complement earlier remarks by Karnataka Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, who demanded an apology to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge while attacking the RSS ideology
"The RSS is like a thousand-headed venomous snake. It is filled with the poison of casteism, communalism and Manuvad. It is a snake that spits poison and seeks to poison the entire society. If we leave it unchecked, our society will be ruined and our country will also be harmed," he said.
He also demanded that the RSS, BJP and Sri Ram Sena publicly apologise to Mallikarjun Kharge, over the alleged 'shuddhikaran' (purification ritual) conducted at a venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following a public rally addressed by the Congress President.