The Special Court for MPs and MLAs in Bengaluru has issued a second round of summons to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and Congress leader Mohammed Nalpad. They are directed to appear before the court on August 1 in connection with a private complaint regarding alleged remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The summons were reissued following a police submission concerning the earlier summons served on the two leaders.
The case originated from a private complaint filed by Tejas Gowda, a resident of Siddapura, who claimed that statements made by Priyank Kharge and Mohammed Nalpad had harmed the image of the RSS. Kharge reportedly commented on the RSS in a social media post, while Nalpad allegedly made defamatory statements about the organization during a YouTube channel interview. The petitioner alleged that these comments had a negative impact on the reputation of the RSS and requested legal action against the leaders.
This marks the second time that the Special Court has summoned Priyank Kharge and Nalpad in this matter. Both leaders are required to be present in court on August 1 for further proceedings. The controversy involving Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and the RSS revolves around his calls for the organization to disclose its financial operations and register itself. The situation escalated when Kharge publicly questioned the Sangh’s institutional autonomy and funding transparency in a letter to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Kharge demanded transparency from the RSS regarding its registration status, organizational structure, income and expenditure details, and assets. He previously accused the group of operating without registration and using Guru Dakshina collections to avoid taxation and financial scrutiny. The dispute has sparked significant political discussions, with Kharge claiming to have received threats and alleging that Dalits within the Bharatiya Janata Party are pressured to adhere to RSS ideology.
