In a move that has stirred fresh political debate within Karnataka’s Congress government, IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge has once again written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, this time demanding that government employees and officials be barred from participating in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities. The letter comes barely a week after his earlier appeal to restrict RSS activities in government schools and institutions — a development that has now taken a distinctly political turn.
In his latest letter, Priyank urged the Chief Minister to direct departments to issue circulars warning of disciplinary action against officials who engage in RSS-linked events. Citing existing service rules, Kharge claimed that no government employee should be part of any political or ideological organisation. “Despite clear rules, some officials are taking part in programs organized by RSS and its affiliates. This needs to be curbed,” the minister wrote, insisting that a formal circular be issued immediately.
Fresh controversy brews over Priyank’s persistence
This renewed push from Priyank Kharge comes at a politically charged moment for the ruling Congress. His earlier letter calling for a ban on RSS activities within government premises had sparked sharp backlash from the BJP, RSS and several Hindu organisations, accusing him of communal bias and ideological vendetta. The controversy also led to threat calls and hate messages directed at the minister — although he publicly stated that he remained undecided.
Observers believe this second letter is part of a larger political manoeuvre by Priyank Kharge to assert himself as a strong ideological voice within the Congress, potentially positioning himself as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political heir.
BJP slams Priyank’s “political theatre”
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka lashed out at the Congress leadership, alleging that the entire episode is a “scripted political drama” orchestrated by Siddaramaiah to build Priyank’s image as a hardline secular face in contrast to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s soft-Hindu approach.
ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ ಅವರನ್ನು ಉತ್ತರಾಧಿಕಾರಿ ಎಂದು ಬಿಂಬಿಸಲು ಸಿಎಂ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಹೊಸ ನಾಟಕ ಆಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರಾ?
ಸಚಿವ @PriyankKharge ಅವರು ಮೇಲಿಂದ ಮೇಲೆ ಸಿಎಂ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಆರ್ ಎಸ್ಎಸ್ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಪತ್ರ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವುದು, ಪದೇ ಪದೇ ಆರ್ ಎಸ್ಎಸ್ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಿಂದನೀಯ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕೊಡುತ್ತಿರುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೆ,… pic.twitter.com/rPepRnZtjw
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) October 16, 2025
“Is Siddaramaiah trying to project Priyank Kharge as his successor? It appears so,” Ashoka remarked, adding, “Priyank keeps writing letters against RSS to please the high command, while D.K. Shivakumar is being sidelined for attending religious events and chanting shlokas. This is not governance it’s an internal power game.”
Ashoka accused the Congress of using RSS as a political punching bag to woo minority voters ahead of the upcoming elections in Bihar and other states. “The Congress is targeting the RSS not for Karnataka’s sake, but to send a message of ‘secular aggression’ to voters elsewhere,” he said.
A veiled attack on D.K. Shivakumar?
Political analysts see Priyank’s move as a subtle attack on D.K. Shivakumar, whose recent participation in spiritual and cultural events from the Isha Foundation’s Mahashivaratri to the Kumbh Mela has drawn both praise and criticism. While Shivakumar has often highlighted his cultural roots, the Siddaramaiah camp reportedly views such gestures as an attempt to project a pro-Hindu image inconsistent with the Congress’s ideological stance.
Sources suggest that Siddaramaiah’s silence on Priyank’s repeated letters may be a strategic endorsement, allowing Kharge to champion the anti-RSS narrative while positioning himself as a loyalist aligned with the CM’s ideological priorities.
“The Chief Minister is playing a long game,” said a senior Congress insider. “By letting Priyank take on the RSS publicly, Siddaramaiah distances himself from direct controversy while strengthening his hold over the party’s secular vote base. It also helps check D.K. Shivakumar’s growing influence.”
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