'Is RSS unparliamentary?' ask Ministers as BJP demands removal of references to it from records

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Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 12 (PTI) A heated exchange broke out in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday when Congress Ministers G Parameshwara and Priyank Kharge questioned BJP MLAs over their objection to references made to the RSS during a discussion on the police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters earlier this week.

The controversy began when Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, a Panchamasali Lingayat community leader, alleged that certain BJP-affiliated forces had hijacked the protest. "RSS people were involved in the stone pelting" that led to the police action, he claimed.

This sparked a war of words between BJP and Congress members, with the saffron party MLAs demanding the removal of any references to RSS from the Assembly records.

During the proceedings, Priyank Kharge wondered whether the BJP considered RSS "unparliamentary" for requesting its removal from the records. "Is RSS unparliamentary? By asking for its removal, you are implying that it is," he said, fueling further debate between the two sides.

While responding to the issue, Home Minister G Parameshwara also asked Speaker UT Khader to give a ruling on whether references to RSS were indeed unparliamentary, in light of the repeated objections from BJP members.

The situation grew tense as BJP members raised slogans in support of RSS, and Congress legislators countered with slogans against it.

The Speaker did not immediately respond to the request.

Later, the discussion shifted to the lathi charge incident, where Parameshwara rejected the BJP’s demand for a judicial probe and ruled out action against the police officials. PTI KSU ROH