Karnataka minister asks RSS to disclose legal status

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has formally requested the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to publicly disclose its legal status, finances, and organizational structure, arguing that the century-old organization must operate with full transparency under the Indian constitutional framework. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has rejected the demand as a political maneuver, asserting the group operates openly and does not require formal registration.

In a letter dated Monday, June 15, 2026, Kharge cited the RSS's own annual report to detail its extensive presence in Karnataka, which includes over 4,000 daily branches, nearly 1,400 weekly meetings, and dozens of monthly gatherings. He noted the organization has conducted thousands of conventions and hundreds of uniformed route marches in the state. The minister argued that such a scale of public mobilization necessitates legal accountability and financial transparency, comparable to requirements for trusts, NGOs, religious institutions, and companies.

Kharge's letter specifically asked the RSS to disclose its legal standing and organizational hierarchy, list its office-bearers, reveal all sources of donations and income, detail its...