Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge used the 80th Independence Day to question the RSS role in the freedom movement. He challenged the organisation to name members who sacrificed their lives against British rule. Kharge stated he could list 500 Congress members martyred in the struggle and asked the RSS to name even 50. He also accused the RSS of contributing to communal tensions after Partition and questioned its unregistered status, noting it could not be formally banned. His comments coincided with debate over a proposed state bill to regulate use of government premises and public property by organisations. Kharge defended the Karnataka Regulation of Use of Government Premises and Public Property Bill, 2026, saying it would provide statutory backing to court directions and would not target any specific group. Organisations could still hold events on private property. BJP leader BL Santhosh responded that the RSS had operated for decades on public trust without registration and had supported Hindus during Partition. He added that independence resulted from sacrifices by revolutionaries and soldiers rather than specific movements alone.
