A political row broke out in Karnataka after Deputy CM and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar recited the RSS anthem in the Assembly. The move upset many Congress leaders, forcing him to issue an apology.
Senior Congress leader Priyank Kharge defended Shivakumar, saying that understanding the RSS is necessary to fight it. Quoting the famous line from The Godfather, he said, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Kharge explained that knowing an opponent’s history and ideology is the best way to counter them.
Shivakumar later clarified that he only recited the RSS prayer to mock BJP leader R Ashok during a discussion on the Chinnaswamy stampede. “I was just pulling their leg. If anyone felt hurt, I apologise. I remain a loyal Congressman,” he said.
However, not everyone in his party agreed. Senior Congress MLC BK Hariprasad criticized him sharply, saying it was wrong to recite the prayer of an organisation linked to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. He argued that while a Deputy CM represents all people, including the RSS, Shivakumar should not have done so as Congress President.
Priyank Kharge responded that reading about the RSS does not make someone an affiliate. He said, “If you don’t know the opposition’s history, how will you fight them?” He also added that even though he has read more about the RSS than many BJP members, it doesn’t mean he supports the group.
Kharge pointed out contradictions within the BJP. He said they fail to answer questions about the RSS’s history, like why the organisation did not hoist the national flag for 52 years or how Veer Savarkar got his title.
He also mocked the Prime Minister’s praise of the RSS as the “world’s largest NGO,” saying it is the only NGO in the world that is not even registered.
Kharge stressed that despite the controversy, the Congress remains united in opposing the RSS, with leaders in Karnataka and at the national level, including Rahul Gandhi, standing firm against its ideology.
