Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday released a video of a threatening phone call he received after advocating for a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government institutions, escalating a simmering ideological and political standoff in the state.
‘Such Threats Won’t Silence Me’: Priyank Kharge
A day after alleging that he had been subjected to abusive and threatening calls, Kharge—who handles the IT-BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolios—posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) featuring an unidentified man verbally abusing him in Hindi, including using slurs against his mother. Sharing the clip, Kharge said it was “a small example of the kind of filth the RSS is trying to fill in the minds of young people.”
The minister questioned whether BJP leaders such as B.Y. Vijayendra, R. Ashoka, C.T. Ravi, V. Sunil Kumar, Pratap Simmha, and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy would tolerate similar insults directed at the mothers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. “When the RSS didn’t spare Mahatma Gandhi or Babasaheb Ambedkar, why would they spare me?” Kharge said, asserting that such threats would not silence him.
Reaffirming his stance, Kharge said his call for banning RSS activities in state-run institutions stemmed from his commitment to building a society inspired by Buddha, Basavanna, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar—based on equality, rationality, and compassion. He described the RSS ideology as a “dangerous viRuSS” that must be eradicated from public institutions.
RSS ಯುವಕರ, ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಮನಸುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕಲ್ಮಶ ತುಂಬುವ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂದಿದ್ದೆ, ಅವರು ತುಂಬಿದ ಕಲ್ಮಶವು ಹೇಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂಬುದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಣ್ಣ ಉದಾಹರಣೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ..
ಕೆಲವು ದಿನಗಳಿಂದ ನನಗೆ ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಬೆದರಿಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ನಿಂದನೆಯ ಕರೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೊಂದು ಸ್ಯಾಂಪಲ್ ಅಷ್ಟೇ.
ತಾಯಿ, ಸಹೋದರಿಯರ ಹೆಸರು ಹಿಡಿದು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ತುಚ್ಚವಾಗಿ… pic.twitter.com/KqnSsiLWl6
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 15, 2025
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing reporters in Mysuru, confirmed that Kharge had informed him about the threats and said intimidation was “a typical tactic of evil forces.” He added that he had directed the Chief Secretary to study Tamil Nadu’s measures on restricting RSS activities and would act accordingly once the report was submitted.
Earlier, Kharge had written to the Chief Minister seeking a ban on RSS programmes in government schools, colleges, and offices. He clarified that his recommendation was not against the organization itself but aimed at preventing ideological indoctrination among students. Questioning BJP leaders’ sincerity, he asked why their own children did not attend RSS shakhas or participate in its rituals if they believed in its ideals.
