RSS must be registered, no organisation above law: Yathindra Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, June 16 (IANS) Karnataka Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Tuesday backed the call to bring the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) under a legal registration framework, saying no organisation can be exempt from the country’s laws.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Yathindra questioned why the RSS should be excluded from registration requirements and financial scrutiny. “Why should the RSS not be registered? There cannot be one law for everyone and another for the RSS. How can any organisation be exempt from disclosure and accountability regarding its financial transactions?” he asked.

The Minister rejected the RSS’s claim that it is solely a cultural organisation, alleging that it has a direct political role. “The RSS describes itself as a cultural organisation, but it has a clear political affiliation. Everyone knows that it works for the BJP during elections,” he said.

Yathindra also raised questions about the organisation’s assets and sources of funding. “The RSS has a large number of workers who need to be maintained. It owns properties worth crores of rupees in cities and towns across the country. Where did these properties come from? The public has a right to know,” he said.

He argued that registration would be necessary to ensure transparency and accountability. “If we want to know these details, the organisation must first be registered. In my opinion, Priyank Kharge’s letter to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is entirely appropriate,” he added.

Responding to a question on whether the RSS could be equated with Hinduism or the nation, Yathindra said the organisation should be treated as a separate entity subject to the law. “Can an organisation be equated with a religion? Certainly not. The RSS is an organisation, and it cannot be equated with the nation or the country. It is a separate entity and must comply with the laws of the land,” he said.

The Minister further argued that the RSS should not be allowed to seek exemptions by invoking Hindutva or Hindu religious identity. “They cannot take shelter under Hindutva or the Hindu religion to avoid legal requirements. If such exemptions are granted to the RSS, what happens when other religious organisations seek similar privileges?” he asked.

Stressing the need for uniform application of the law, Yathindra said that if the RSS is an organisation comprising individuals, there is no reason why it should be exempt from registration. “It must be registered like any other organisation and function within the legal framework of the country,” he said.

–IANS

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