After Urging Ban on RSS Events, Priyank Kharge Clarifies on Namaz Row: “All Communities Must Follow Rules and Seek Permission”
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has clarified that Muslims too must obtain prior permission before offering Namaz or conducting any religious gathering in public spaces, asserting that the same rules apply to every community in the state.
Speaking to reporters at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday, Kharge said,
“Even for offering Namaz in open grounds, permission must be obtained from the authorities. Whoever conducts such gatherings — from any religion or community — must seek prior permission as per government rules.”
Kharge’s remarks came in the backdrop of the Chittapur administration’s decision to deny permission for an RSS route march on Sunday, citing law and order concerns. The event was scheduled in Chittapur town — Kharge’s own home constituency in Kalaburagi district — where the tahsildar officially rejected the RSS request, saying multiple groups had sought procession permits for the same day, creating security risks.
Earlier, Kharge had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging the state government to ban RSS activities in public places and educational institutions that were being conducted without prior approval. Following his letter, expelled BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal addressed a counter-letter to the CM, demanding a statewide ban on open-air Namaz. Yatnal alleged that the Congress government was showing bias by targeting only Hindu organizations.
Responding to Yatnal’s statement, Kharge reiterated that his position was about enforcing uniform law and order, not targeting any group.
“Our government’s rules are clear — no organization or religious group can hold a public event without permission. This is about regulation, not religion,” he said.
The controversy has ignited a fresh political face-off between the Congress and BJP, with both parties accusing each other of selective enforcement and communal polarization ahead of local elections. The Siddaramaiah government maintains that its decisions are guided purely by law, order, and administrative discipline.
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