Maharashtra man held for threatening Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge over RSS remarks
Karnataka IT-BT and rural development minister Priyank Kharge appealed for a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government buildings in the state.
Bengaluru: A 40-year-old Maharashtra man was arrested for allegedly threatening Karnataka IT-BT and rural development minister Priyank Kharge over his appeal for a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in government buildings in the state.
Kharge posted a video message on his X account, wherein he played the audio clip in question. “I said that RSS is working to fill the minds of young people and children with filth, here is a small sample of just what that filth looks like,” Kharge wrote in the attached caption.
“Is it the culture of the shakhas to insult mothers and sisters by calling them names and insulting them in the most despicable way?” the post added.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday defended Kharge, hours after he shared a purported audio clip on X, wherein an unidentified man is heard showering Kharge and family members, including the minister’s mother, with alleged verbal abuse and threats.
The accused, Danappa alias Dinesh, a resident of Solapur, was tracked down and arrested from Latur in Maharashtra. “Based on a complaint by Congress leader Manohar, we arrested the accused from Maharashtra. He is being brought to the city. He has been booked under the IT Act and BNS section 351 (criminal intimidation). We will investigate whether he was involved in similar cases earlier,” Central deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Akshay H. Machindra told HT.
Police said the complaint was filed by Congress leader Manohar on behalf of minister Kharge at the Sadashivnagar police station in Bengaluru. An FIR was registered, and investigators used mobile tower locations and digital tracking to trace the suspect’s location. Dinesh was taken into custody late Tuesday night and is expected to be brought to Bengaluru for further interrogation.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Dinesh was angered by Kharge’s comments about restricting RSS activities and decided to issue threats over the phone. “He appeared motivated by outrage over the minister’s statement,” an official said.
The controversy began when Kharge wrote to CM Siddaramaiah, urging a halt to RSS shakhas (training sessions) within government schools and colleges, saying that no religious or ideological group should be permitted to operate inside public institutions. His letter argued that such activities violated the state’s secular framework.
Kharge’s appeal quickly escalated into a political debate and he allegedly started receiving a series of abusive and threatening calls. “This is just a small sample of the filth being spread by those who claim to uphold culture and nationalism. I have been receiving such threats continuously for the past few days. Is it the culture of these organizations to insult mothers and sisters with such filthy language?” Kharge wrote in his post.
The minister also questioned whether top BJP and RSS leaders approved of such behaviour. “Do Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and state BJP leaders endorse this conduct by their supporters?” he asked.
Police said further investigation is underway to determine whether others were involved in the threats or coordinated similar intimidation attempts.
