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Siddaramaiah’s attacks on the RSS have been consistent. In November 2024, he hit out at the organisation, saying that despite existing before 1947, no RSS leader had participated in India’s independence struggle
An enraged BJP demanded an apology, leading to two adjournments of the session. (PTI file)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, known for his sharp criticism of the RSS and BJP, triggered yet another political storm in the Assembly by targeting both organisations while replying to the Governor’s address. His remarks, along with those from BJP and Congress leaders, were later expunged by the Speaker.
An enraged BJP demanded an apology, leading to two adjournments of the session. This was not the first time Siddaramaiah had taken on the RSS and BJP. During election campaigns and public meetings, he had accused them of supporting the British during the freedom struggle.
The timing of his latest comments also comes at an interesting time, just ahead of the RSS’ Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, set to be held in Bengaluru from March 21, with ‘Hindu Awakening’ as a key agenda.
Siddaramaiah’s repeated attacks on the RSS have kept the political heat on in Karnataka. While his remarks have drawn sharp reactions from the BJP, who have repeatedly sought his apology for disrespecting the organisations.
Earlier on January 30, Martyrs’ Day—the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination—Siddaramaiah had branded the BJP and RSS as “anti-constitution” and “anti-federal” forces. “For the past few years, some anti-constitution, anti-federal system forces have been trying to ruin the country. BJP and RSS are making statements about one religion, one language, and one culture—something Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar strongly opposed,” he had said.
Siddaramaiah accused the BJP and RSS of glorifying Gandhi’s assassin. “They are praising and worshipping the person who killed Mahatma Gandhi,” he alleged. “This country wouldn’t have gained independence without Mahatma Gandhi, yet RSS and BJP supporters inhumanely killed such a great leader.”
Siddaramaiah vs RSS: A Long-Standing Battle
Siddaramaiah’s attacks on the RSS have been consistent. In November 2024, he hit out at the organisation, saying that despite existing before 1947, no RSS leader had participated in India’s independence struggle. “Yet today, they lecture the Congress on patriotism,” he said.
Speaking at a Constitution Day event at the KPCC office in Bengaluru, he accused the BJP of following Manusmriti rather than the Constitution. “Differentiating people in the name of caste and religion is not God’s work; it is part of the Manusmriti system. We in the Congress believe in the Constitution, whereas the BJP follows the Manusmriti,” he said.
Siddaramaiah warned that social equality remained elusive and echoed Ambedkar’s caution that if the Constitution fell into the wrong hands, its values would erode.
Refusing To Share a Platform with RSS-Linked Groups
Another incident took an interesting turn when in 2024, Siddaramaiah was sent an invitation to the Bharatiya Sanskriti Utsava, organised by Bharat Vikas Sangam. He declined to attend the meeting.
“I noticed my name printed on the inauguration invitation, but I had not received an official invite. After reviewing the organisation’s background, I decided not to participate,” he said.
The event, held in Sedam, Kalaburagi, from January 29 to February 6, was organised by Bharat Vikas Sangam, reportedly linked to RSS ideologue K.N. Govindacharya. The invitation listed Siddaramaiah as chief guest alongside other Congress leaders, triggering backlash. His decision to withdraw was seen as a strong political statement, reinforcing his stance against the RSS and its affiliates.
“Are RSS People Native Indians?”
In 2022, Siddaramaiah ignited controversy by questioning the RSS’ roots in India. Reacting to the inclusion of RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar’s speeches in Class 10 Kannada textbooks, he asked, “Are RSS people native Indians? Do Aryans belong to this country? Are they Dravidians? We need to get to the roots.”
His remarks sparked a political row, with the BJP accusing him of stoking divisions along ethnic and ideological lines.
“I Will Oppose RSS Till My Last Breath”
In March 2023, Siddaramaiah made his strongest statement yet: “As long as I am alive, I will oppose the RSS—whether in power or not—because it stands against equality.”
Distinguishing between Hinduism and Hindutva, he claimed the RSS promoted Sanatana Dharma and Manuvada. “The RSS and Hindu Mahasabha, which opposed Ambedkar’s Constitution, favour a system based on Manusmriti and the Chaturvarna hierarchy, seeking to keep Shudras and Dalits at the lowest rungs of society,” he said.
In April 2024, at a meeting of SC/ST activists in Mysuru, he again warned against the BJP-RSS, saying, “Shudras, Dalits, and women are not allowed inside the RSS’ sanctum sanctorum. People must not fall for them.”
