Bengaluru, Nov 9: Responding to criticism over the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) legal status, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday clarified that the organisation is officially recognised as a “body of individuals” and operates lawfully without mandatory registration.
Speaking during an in-house question-and-answer session in Bengaluru, Bhagwat took a veiled dig at Congress leaders questioning the RSS’s legitimacy. “RSS was established in 1925—do you expect us to have registered with the British government?” he asked.
Bhagwat explained that post-independence, the Government of India did not make registration compulsory, and the Income Tax Department as well as courts have acknowledged the RSS as a recognised entity. “We were banned thrice, so the government has clearly recognised our existence. If we weren’t there, whom did they ban?” he remarked.
The RSS chief added that many established entities operate without formal registration. “Even Hindu Dharma is not registered,” he quipped.
Addressing allegations that the RSS respects only the saffron flag and not the national tricolour, Bhagwat said the organisation reveres both symbols. “Saffron is our Guru, but we always respect, offer tribute, and protect the Indian tricolour,” he asserted.
Bhagwat’s comments came in the backdrop of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent call for a ban on the RSS, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge’s demand to restrict RSS activities in public institutions while questioning its registration and funding sources. (Agencies)
