Priyank Kharge, Karnataka’s Home and IT Minister, believes that he has the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the ropes with his letter dated 13 June addressed to Mohan Bhagwat. In his letter, Kharge asked for the registration details of what is widely touted as the world’s largest NGO. In a politely-drafted letter to the RSS chief, a letter that had undertones of political menace, he requested “the RSS to depute its authorised office bearers to explain the legal grounds on which an organisation of such magnitude continues to function with anonymity and without being formally registered as a legal entity.”
One need not go into the politics of it too much. It is obvious that the dynast, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, believes that he can open up new pathways for political progress by taking on the RSS – a project with which Rahul Gandhi too may agree. In fact, Rahul has repeatedly talked about the RSS as the ideological enemy to defeat, and even compared it to the Muslim Brotherhood. The BJP could well say that the Congress appears to be the new Muslim League.The choice of Priyank Kharge – assuming he has Gandhi’s blessings – to lead the attack on the RSS is significant, for it automatically ensures two things for the Congress. It solidifies its support among the minorities, and simultaneously prevents the BJP from targeting Kharge personally, for then it could be claimed that he was being attacked for being a Dalit. This would serve to solidify the Congress’ support among Dalits, many of whom have drifted towards the BJP and regional parties.
