Priyank Kharge vows legal fight, renews demand for RSS registration after Bengaluru court summons
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, facing a defamation case vis-a-vis RSS, on Sunday 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 Priyank 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, Priyank 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?”
He added, “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 should become known.”
Backing Priyank, Karnataka Congress president B K Hariprasad said the RSS should first register itself if it welcomed criminal proceedings against the minister.
“Anyone who respects the law of the land - if the RSS is happy that a case has been registered against Priyank, then they must first get their own organisation registered. Double standards will not work,” Hariprasad said.
Stressing that the RSS should function within the framework of the law, he said the Congress and its leaders would present their case in court in the manner they deemed appropriate.
