Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has said there is no urgency in expecting an immediate reply from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to his open letter on the organisation’s legal status and transparency. He stressed that due process and the principles of natural justice would be followed.
“As long as they have not lost my letter, I’m okay. We’ll send reminders,” Kharge said, adding that it was his responsibility to uphold natural justice. He emphasised that adequate time must be given for a response. “It has only been a week or ten days. If they don’t respond, we will know what to do. There is a law in the country, and I am supposed to uphold that law in my state,” he stated.
Kharge suggested that questions on the matter should be directed at the RSS leadership, including its Sarsanghchalak and office-bearers, rather than at him.
The remarks came days after Kharge wrote to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on 13 June 2026, as the organisation completed 100 years. While congratulating the RSS, the letter posed eight specific questions. It asked the organisation to clarify the legal grounds on which it functions without formal registration as a legal entity, despite its claimed network of over 60,000 shakhas and ability to mobilise large numbers for events such as samajotsavas in Karnataka. The letter also sought details on organisational structure, office-bearers, sources of donations and funding, income, expenditure, assets, tax compliance, and permissions for public activities. It noted that Bhagwat’s security is funded by taxpayers and argued that an organisation of such scale and influence must meet the highest standards of transparency and constitutional accountability.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had earlier dismissed the demand in public remarks, describing it as a political exercise. He stated that the RSS operates openly on the ground, is not secretive, and that registration is generally required only for entities seeking government funds or foreign contributions. He drew an analogy to the fact that Hindu dharma itself is not registered.
Kharge has clarified that the letter was sent in his official capacity as Home Minister on behalf of the Karnataka government and that the RSS cannot simply decline to respond to queries from the state. He expressed optimism that the organisation would furnish the details and indicated he was even willing to visit the RSS state headquarters if required.
The exchange has sharpened political divisions in Karnataka. The Congress government has framed the questions as legitimate demands for accountability from a large, influential organisation. The BJP has accused Kharge of targeting the RSS for partisan and ideological reasons.
As of the latest statements, the RSS has not formally replied to the specific questions raised in the letter. Kharge indicated that the government would consider its options after providing reasonable time, in keeping with legal norms. The episode has once again brought into focus the long-standing debate over the regulatory framework applicable to voluntary ideological organisations in India.