Bengaluru court summons Priyank Kharge and Mohammed Nalapad in RSS defamation case

A Bengaluru court has ordered a criminal defamation case and issued summons to Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge and Mohammed Nalapad over alleged defamatory remarks made against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The court order requires both Kharge and Nalapad to appear in court and seek bail, a development that has intensified political friction between the ruling Congress party and the BJP-RSS alliance in Karnataka.

The announcement of the legal proceedings was made on Friday by suspended BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. Speaking to reporters in Srirangapatna in Mandya district, Yatnal stated that the defamation case was officially filed following Kharge's persistent remarks against the RSS.

Yatnal, who spoke after offering prayers at the historic Mudalabagilu Anjaneya and Kshanambika temples, claimed that Kharge has been intentionally targeting the RSS. The suspended MLA alleged that Kharge's continuous tirade against the right-wing organisation is part of a political strategy to position himself as a Chief Minister candidate for the upcoming 2028 assembly elections.

Commenting on the immediate impact of the court's decision, Yatnal remarked that Kharge would now have to navigate the legal system to secure his release. "Since a defamation case has been registered against him, he will have to run around, seeking bail from tomorrow," Yatnal said.

The case marks a significant escalation in the legal and political battles between the Congress and BJP leaders in the state. While the court has summoned both Kharge and Nalapad to respond to the criminal defamation charges, the political ramifications are expected to play out across Bengaluru and the rest of Karnataka.

Yatnal also accused the Congress party of pursuing an appeasement policy in the state, which he claimed is actively triggering Hindu-Muslim conflicts. The legal action against Kharge and Nalapad adds to this highly charged political atmosphere.