On Wednesday (24th May 2024), Priyank Kharge, a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, stated to the press that Bajrang Dal and RSS will be banned if they disrupt the peace of the state of Karnataka.
Kharge is a part of the political party Indian National Congress (INC) and is a 3-time Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Chittapur constituency in Karnataka. He’s also the son of Mallikarjun Kharge who is the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha.
He also boldly mentioned to the reporters that if the BJP government had any problems with it, they could go to Pakistan. He added that certain outfits in the state had been moving around freely without fearing the law, and that will stop because the new government has promised to make the state a “paradise” and they will take strict actions and impose bans if that peace is disturbed.
Moreover, he announced that their government would withdraw the ban on hijab, cow slaughter, and halal meat imposed by the former government, BJP.
Kerala also banned RSS drills in temples
On May 18, 2024, a circular was sent by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) reiterating that any kind of drills, physical training, or other RSS activities were NOT allowed in the temples under their jurisdiction.
Turns out, this was not the first time a circular such as this has been issued in the temples of Kerala. Similar orders by TDB have been given in 2021 and 2016. The board has always discouraged RSS “shakhas” to be held on the premises of the temples. Several politicians have spoken in TDB’s favour and have said that the sanctity of the temples is hampered if drills and training take place inside.
In 2015, a petition was filed alleging that RSS had been conducting arms training in the temples and using them as a storehouse for ammunition. However, the board denied these allegations and has denied officially permitting RSS for conducting its activities.
After the recent notice, TDB has asked religious officials to strictly follow the rules or there would be consequences.
History of bans imposed on RSS
RSS has been officially banned 3 times in the past for cultivating extremist right-wing, and Islamophobic ideologies.
They were barred after the death of M.K. Gandhi. Former Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, issued a notice that the Hindu nationalist body was being banned because the members had been caught indulging in criminal activities like murder, arson, dacoity, etc. The ban was lifted a year later.
In 1975, a ban was imposed on Sangh’s activities during the Emergency during Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
Lastly, RSS and other religious bodies were banned after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 by the government of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Schools established by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan was established in 1977. The body coordinates between the State and every school run by RSS in the country. Currently, RSS runs 12,828 schools across India. Their syllabus is different from the rest of the state textbooks and other boards. According to research conducted by The Wire, the contents of the textbooks instill ideas of Hindutva and present a glorified picture of Hinduism. The books blatantly promote communalist ideas and illogical claims without any hard proof to the students.
In a school in Karnataka, a play was put up to reenact the demolition of Babri Masjid. Students donned saffron dhotis and attacked a poster of the Masjid. This happened in 2019, and it continues to happen today. Right-wing extremists preaching Hindutva and a theocratic country continue to propagate hate and Islamophobia around us, even today.
