00:05It's the Khadge versus RSS face-off that has now emerged from Karnataka.
00:10Priyank Khadge, who's of course a senior leader of the Congress, especially in Karnataka,
00:14has raised an issue, writing a letter to the RSS,
00:18demanding transparency on registration, finances and operations.
00:22Priyank Khadge says, an organization that regularly speaks of nationalism,
00:26discipline and duty must also demonstrate these values through transparency,
00:31compliance and respect for the Constitution.
00:33The RSS cannot ask ordinary Indians to follow rules while exempting itself from the same standard.
00:39If workers, small associations, religious institutions, NGOs, trusts, companies and citizens
00:44are expected to register, disclose an audit and pay taxes, RSS should do the same.
00:52Priyank Khadge is asking the RSS.
00:55And of course, in many ways, therefore, the chief and the one heading the organization,
01:00Mohan Bhagwat, to use the occasion of its centenary, not merely for celebration,
01:04but for constitutional introspection.
01:09So that's the big news coming in Priyank Khadge.
01:11Very interestingly, referring to how the RSS also, just like any other organization,
01:16needs to show its audits, its finances, its registrations,
01:20and keep a transparent baseline when it comes to where are the finances coming from,
01:26who are joining the RSS and more.
01:28Remember, the RSS issue is not the first when it's come to the state of Karnatka.
01:31Earlier as well, whether it was RSS Shakhaz,
01:34whether it was about how there has been a Congress BJP or Congress RSS tussle,
01:40consistently this issue had cropped out.
01:42Priyank Khadge clearly escalating this even further.
01:45And we'll go across to our reporters in just a short while.
01:48But Priyank Khadge basically has said,
01:50the organization that speaks of nationalism, discipline and duty
01:53must also demonstrate the same.
01:55He's asking, what about the transparency and compliance from RSS
01:59toward their funding, toward the standard that they set for other companies.
02:05So if other NGOs and trusts and citizens are expected to register,
02:09disclose, audit and pay tax, why shouldn't RSS not do the same?
02:12In fact, Priyank Khadge has gone on to add,
02:15RSS too must set an example by abiding by the rules of the game.
02:20So very interestingly, gunning directly for the RSS
02:24when it has come to Priyank Khadge,
02:26who's of course also the son of Malik Arjun Khadge.
02:29So it's not just a Karnataka leader,
02:32but as much the son of the party president.
02:36I want to bring in Sagai Raj for the latest on that.
02:39Sagai, this is very interesting, I find.
02:41He's still the minister in Karnataka.
02:44And now with this turn of events,
02:47why do you think he is the one gunning for RSS and how?
02:51He's the home minister of Karnataka
02:53and ever since he has taken charge,
02:55he has already issued a warning.
02:57And last week he had posted a message on social media
03:01where he has asked all the RSS and pro-indu activists
03:04and BJP workers to get ready with the documents.
03:07That's when he sent across the message.
03:08And the documents was directly pointing out at RSS,
03:11stating that if you have a registered organization,
03:13you should come up with the documents and produce that.
03:16Yeah, these are the documents that he has been having
03:19with the registration of RSS.
03:21And thereafter, he has also clarified,
03:23stating that when people are donating money to a temple,
03:26temple is accountable.
03:27Temple gives accounts of how much money has been spent.
03:31When God is accountable, why not RSS?
03:34Why the RSS doesn't give an account of how much money
03:37has been spent, where they are getting money,
03:39and how they are using that particular money?
03:41So, these were the charges of Priyankarge.
03:43And remember that Priyankarge is not someone new
03:46who is targeting RSS.
03:47Even last year when he was not in a position of the Home Minister,
03:51has targeted RSS and pro-indu activists.
03:53And again, as a Home Minister of Karnataka,
03:56he has put forth this demand on social media
03:58where he has requested RSS to come forward
04:01and Mohan Bhagwat to come forward
04:04and set an example stating that RSS is a good audience.
04:07And then he should produce the relevant documents
04:09which is related to RSS according to him.
04:12Sagai, also tell me this.
04:13I doubt if there's yet been a response from the RSS.
04:16And is this the first time that Priyankarge
04:19has raised this issue about the RSS transparency?
04:23It's not the first time.
04:24If you notice that ever since he became the Minister
04:26and ever since he has been a congressman,
04:28he has been raising this particular issue.
04:30He has time and again targeted RSS.
04:32And remember last year, he even went on to say
04:34that no people, especially the government employees,
04:37should not participate in any of the programs of RSS.
04:42And he has also issued showcast notice
04:43and a few of them were even suspended
04:45stating that they were participating in the RSS events.
04:49And he also brought a diktat stating that
04:52if at all, if there is a program or anything
04:55which has been organized in government premises
04:57or government schools and colleges,
05:00the organization, whether it is RSS
05:02or any other organization, should obtain the permission
05:05from respective schools and colleges.
05:09And it is a prerogative of those schools and colleges
05:13to grant permission or not.
05:15So they have brought this particular diktat
05:18for all the RSS events in the state of Karnataka.
05:22So in time and again, he has targeted RSS
05:24and as a home minister of Karnataka,
05:26now he has put forth these demands
05:28and asked Mohan Bhagwat to set an example
05:31and come forward and share the documents
05:33which is connected with the RSS.
05:35All right.
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