Kalaburagi (Chittapur)/Bengaluru: The upcoming RSS Path Sanchalan in Chittapur, the home constituency of Minister Priyank Kharge, has triggered a political and administrative storm, with four different organizations seeking permission to hold separate marches on November 2, turning the event into a major law and order challenge.
Following the Karnataka High Court’s directive allowing the RSS to conduct its Path Sanchalan, the organization submitted a detailed reply to the tahsildar’s 11-point questionnaire, claiming it is a “non-profit social organization” and does not hold any formal registration certificate. The reply has now been forwarded to the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner for final approval.
However, in a dramatic twist, three other groups — Bhim Army, Dalit Panther Organization, and the Gond-Kuruba Hitharakshana Samiti — have also applied to hold their own parades and protests on the same day and in the same town.
The Bhim Army has argued that the display of lathis and swords in RSS processions encourages extremist tendencies and urged authorities to deny permission. The group has received support from the Souharda Karnataka Horata Samiti, which has also submitted a petition to the DC opposing the RSS event.
Meanwhile, the Gond-Kuruba Samiti plans to stage a large protest demanding inclusion of the Kuruba community under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, claiming that “the BJP-led Centre has failed to act on this issue for 12 years.” The outfit plans to mobilize over 5,000 participants in Chittapur on November 2.
The confrontation has taken a political turn, with BJP MLA Dr. Ashwath Narayan accusing Minister Priyank Kharge of using his influence to pressure officials and block the RSS parade. In response, Kharge retorted that the same government rules apply to Bhim Army and all other organizations, asserting that “permissions must be sought under the same guidelines.”
“If Bhim Army is allowed, others too will be given permission. We have no objection — every community can organize its own program,” said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, reacting to the escalating row.
All applications from the four organizations have now been forwarded to the District Administration and the Court, which will decide on October 24 whether to grant or deny permission for the events.
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