CM Siddaramaiah’s Son Compares RSS to Taliban, BJP Hits Back

Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has ignited a political firestorm by likening the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s ideological mentor, to the Taliban, accusing it of enforcing a rigid Hindu orthodoxy akin to the Afghan group’s Islamic diktats. The remarks, made on Monday during the RSS’s centenary celebrations, have drawn fierce backlash from the BJP, which vowed that “no one can ban or curb” the Sangh’s nationalist mission.

Yathindra pulled no punches, alleging the RSS mirrors the Taliban’s mindset by demanding a singular interpretation of Hinduism, stifling diversity and curbing freedoms. “They want the Hindu religion in one way only, just like the Taliban issues edicts for Islam,” he told reporters, slamming the RSS for “sowing poisonous seeds of communalism.” He called for mandatory registration of the RSS, which operates as an unregistered voluntary group, skirting legal oversight despite controlling assets worth thousands of crores, including a sprawling Delhi headquarters. “If they’re so influential, they must act per the law,” he insisted.

The Congress chorus amplified Yathindra’s attack. IT Minister Priyank Kharge, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, penned a letter to the CM urging a ban on RSS activities in state-run schools, government institutions, and public spaces like parks, arguing they violate India’s constitutional values of unity and secularism. Veteran leader B.K. Hariprasad went further, branding the RSS the “Indian Taliban” for holding unauthorized shakhas (training camps) in Bengaluru’s state-run facilities during its centenary marches on October 12. The CM has directed an inquiry into Kharge’s plea, hinting at potential crackdowns.

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The BJP hit back hard. State president B.Y. Vijayendra took to X, dismissing Yathindra’s comparison as “foolish” and accusing Congress of reviving its “anti-national Tukde-Tukde” agenda. “Congress banned the RSS thrice before, only to revoke each time. They lack the power to stop us,” he declared, invoking Karnataka’s pride as “Bharat Mata’s daughter.” The timing—coinciding with a Taliban minister’s India visit—added fuel to the controversy, with BJP leaders calling the analogy an insult to the Sangh’s century-long “nation-building” legacy.

As Karnataka’s political divide deepens, Yathindra’s salvo has thrust the RSS’s shadowy operations into the spotlight. With Congress pushing for restrictions and the BJP rallying to the Sangh’s defense, this clash sets the stage for a heated showdown. Will the state government act on its rhetoric, or will the RSS’s clout prevail? The battle lines are drawn, and Karnataka’s watching.

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