Priyank Kharge vows legal fight, renews demand for RSS registration after Bengaluru court summons

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Why is the world’s largest organisation still not registered?” Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, facing a defamation case vis-à-vis the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Sunday (June 29, 2026) said the Constitution and law “are on our side,” and that there was nothing to be afraid of.

He said he would fight the criminal defamation case against him through legal means, even as he renewed his demand that the RSS should register itself as an organisation.

His remarks came a day after a Bengaluru court took cognisance of a private complaint alleging that Mr. Kharge and former Karnataka Youth Congress president Mohammed Haris Nalapad made defamatory remarks against the RSS and summoned them to appear before it on July 21.

“We will abide by the law. Our foremost duty is to comply with whatever order the court has issued. Whatever it may be, we are fighting this through legal means. We did not ask those questions casually or irresponsibly,” the Minister told reporters.

Noting that attempts would be made to pressurise them, he said, “All this is natural. They (RSS) will try to exert pressure in every possible way. We will respond to it. When the Constitution and the law are on our side, there is no need to fear anything.”

Citing reported remarks by Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Math, who also had called for the RSS to register itself, Mr. Kharge said, “They won’t listen to me. They won’t listen to you. They won’t listen to the Constitution. At least let them listen to the religious leaders.”

Questioning why the RSS had not registered itself, he said, “Once they get registered, the issue will be over. It will put a stop to all those who go around making statements indiscriminately. Why is the world’s largest organisation still not registered?”

“Where are its donations coming from? Who is maintaining the accounts? Who is benefiting from it and who is losing because of it? All of that shou