‘Hindu Rashtra in India, religious harmony abroad’: Priyank Kharge targets RSS

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), questioning its messaging on religious harmony during RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s US visit.

In a post on X, Kharge referred to Bhagwat’s recent remarks that a person who believes Muslims should not live in India cannot call himself a Hindu, and that different paths can lead to the same ultimate truth.

‘Why does language change abroad?’ Kharge asks

Kharge questioned what he described as a difference between the RSS’s messaging in India and its outreach abroad.

“Why is the language of Hindu Rashtra in India changing into the language of inclusivity and pan-religious harmony abroad?” he asked, urging people to examine the organisational network, fundraising activities and flow of funds associated with the overseas outreach.

Kharge alleged that the RSS was seeking to mobilise support and funds from the Indian diaspora through organisations associated with its broader network.

He specifically referred to the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the RSS’s overseas organisation, and questioned the links of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) with what he termed the RSS ecosystem.

For 100 years, this unregistered organisation has propagated and continues to propagate, the idea of a Hindu Rashtra in India.

Yet, in America, @DrMohanBhagwat says:

“If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu. If you call yourself… pic.twitter.com/8kmJWL1Wi6

— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) August 30, 2026

Kharge said Bhagwat’s three-nation tour and message of global unity should not be viewed simply as an exercise in religious harmony without examining the organisations and networks involved.

The minister also reiterated his demand that the RSS should register itself, keeping alive his earlier criticism of the organisation and its functioning.