Priyank Kharge Defends Public Property Bill, Questions RSS Role in Freedom Struggle

Home Minister Priyank Kharge defended the proposed Karnataka Regulation of Use of Government Premises and Public Property Bill, 2026, while questioning the historical role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in India's freedom struggle during a press interaction in Kalaburagi city on Saturday.

Rejecting allegations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the proposed legislation was aimed at targeting the RSS, Mr. Kharge clarified that the draft bill does not name any specific organisation, association, institution, or political party. He questioned why the opposition was resisting the legislation without examining its provisions.

Mr. Kharge stated that the proposed law aims to establish a statutory framework to regulate the use of government premises and public property in line with directions issued by the Supreme Court and High Courts. Under the framework, organisations will remain free to conduct their activities on private premises, but programmes, processions, and gatherings on government land and public property will require prior permission from the designated Competent Authority.

Addressing claims about potential bans, Mr. Kharge stated that there was no question of banning any organisation under the bill. He noted that the government's mandate is to ensure public spaces are used in a regulated manner, applying the rules uniformly regardless of an organisation's registration status.

On the broader debate surrounding the RSS's legal standing, Mr. Kharge referenced recent remarks by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and B.L. Santosh. He argued that an organisation cannot be formally banned without first establishing its legal registration status, asserting that the RSS is not registered.

Stepping up his criticism, Mr. Kharge challenged the RSS to name a single movement in which it participated during India's freedom struggle. He stated that he could provide the names of 500 Congress members who sacrificed their lives for independence and challenged the RSS to provide 50 such names from its ranks. He also questioned the organisation's role in protecting citizens during the communal violence surrounding Partition.

Additionally, Mr. Kharge remarked on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, claiming that BJP leaders were unaware of the circumstances surrounding the honorific "Veer" and alleging that Savarkar had adopted the title himself. Dismissing claims that he feared the organisation, Mr. Kharge said he harboured no "RSS-phobia" and contended instead that BJP leaders were displaying "Priyank-phobia."