Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge targeted RSS and said that the organization did not hoist the tricolor for 52 years after independence. He claimed that the RSS had rejected both the tricolor and the Constitution and that they celebrated Independence Day as ‘Black Day’.
Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge on Tuesday intensified his attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying the organization did not hoist the tricolor at its headquarters for 52 years after independence.
‘Why is RSS census necessary in the national capital?’ Addressing a conference on the topic, Priyank Kharge claimed that the RSS had rejected the tricolor and the Constitution.
‘RSS tried to destroy the Quit India movement’
Kharge said, “Syama Prasad Mukherjee had written a detailed letter to John Herbert, the then Governor of Bengal, on how the Quit India Movement could be completely destroyed. In 1929, when the whole of India unanimously said that we will hoist the tricolor on January 26, 1930, one organization – the RSS – disagreed. Dr. Hedgewar of the RSS issued an order that they would not hoist the tricolor on January 26, 1930. The order stated that the ‘national flag’ – the saffron flag – and not the tricolor – would be hoisted in every RSS shakha on January 21, 1930.”
‘RSS did not hoist the tricolor at its headquarters for 52 years’
The Congress leader further said, “This official order can be read in Hedgewar’s book. When we got independence in 1947, the RSS completely rejected our tricolor. Their magazine, ‘Organiser’, published an article on August 14, 1947. It said that ‘those who come to power by the stumble of faith may put the tricolor in your hands, but it will never be respected and owned by us (RSS). Three words are an evil in themselves, and a flag with three colors will certainly create a very bad psychological effect and is harmful to the country.’ For 52 years, the tricolor was never hoisted at the RSS headquarters. This happened only after a court order in 2002.”
‘What will an organization that does not respect the tricolor and the Constitution do to the public?’
He questioned that how will an organization which does not respect the national flag and the Constitution respect the people? Kharge said, “Not just the tricolor, they also did not accept our Constitution… They have said that Manusmriti should remain our Constitution. This is their history. How will an organization which does not respect the Tricolor or the Constitution respect you? They used to celebrate Black Day on Independence Day and Republic Day.”
Priyank Kharge has been critical of the RSS and has demanded its legal registration for transparency. Last month, he had reiterated his demand for clarity on the organisation’s constitutional and financial compliance. He also insisted that he would apologize if the organization provided valid explanations and “papers”. He has also targeted RSS regarding the Ayodhya Ram temple donation embezzlement case. (ANI)
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