Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)

Mangaluru, Oct 19: “BJP leaders know only two things — Pakistan and Muslims. Apart from that, they know nothing. What achievements can they showcase from their ten years of rule? If minister Priyank Kharge makes a statement about the RSS, they brand him as anti-national. What is wrong in what Priyank Kharge said? What kind of training is the RSS giving by providing batons and guns to children from backward communities?” questioned legislative council member Manjunath Bhandary. 

Addressing a press conference held here. he said, “The government has clearly stated that RSS and other private organisations must seek permission before conducting activities in government grounds, schools, or roads. What is the problem in obtaining permission? RSS claims to be 100 years old and organises parades across the country, but why has it still not registered as an official organisation? Where does the unregistered organisation get its funds from? How much money is in their accounts? Why can’t these matters be questioned under the Constitution?”

“RSS is not even an organisation in the legal sense. If it were one, it would have certain standards to follow — primarily registration. Since there’s no registration, the government’s decision to restrict public programmes by such private groups is correct. Minister Priyank Kharge and chief minister Siddaramaiah have taken the right decision, and we, including all Congress leaders from the district, fully support it,” he said.

Bhandary further stated, “From my student days, I have fought against RSS and BJP. I even confronted Yediyurappa directly. Every Congress leader in the coastal region stands with Kharge. Those shouting that RSS has been banned are misleading the public. The rule applies not only to RSS but to all private organisations — they must obtain permission to use public spaces. We all saw how gun training was given to children in Madikeri. Is it fair that BJP and RSS leaders send their own children abroad for education and jobs while inciting poor and backward community children here with weapons?”

Referring to recent allegations, he said, “As Dinesh Amin Mattu claimed, there has never been any RSS programme held in our college. A project event named Srushti was conducted as a joint science model programme involving all engineering colleges in the state, where even ABVP had participated. I attended that event because the then chief minister Sadananda Gowda had participated. Those who allege that ABVP meetings were held there should show proof. On what moral ground did such people seek a Congress MLC ticket? They wrote about Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, but without understanding Congress principles, they now ask for tickets. If such baseless allegations continue, I will file a defamation case,” he warned.

Congress leaders Harish Kumar, district president, Shashidhar Hegde, former mayor, Shallet Pinto, women’s district president, Vikas Shetty, Neeraj Paul, R Padmaraj, and others were present at the press conference.