BJP Leader Defends RSS Practices at Press Conference in Mysuru

Mysuru, September 29 (Daily Kiran) : Senior BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy addressed a press conference in Mysuru on September 29, emphasizing that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been around for 100 years and that its volunteers have always used sticks, a practice that continues today. He clarified that these sticks are utilized for physical exercise and training.

Narayanaswamy’s comments were a response to recent remarks made by Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who mentioned the use of sticks and the wearing of half-pants by RSS volunteers. He stated, “The RSS has been established for a century. They have always had sticks, and they still do. The volunteers do not carry them for any other reason; they engage in morning exercises and learn various skills.”

The BJP leader criticized Kharge for frequently referencing Nagpur, the RSS, sticks, and half-pants. He remarked, “There is another minister in the state, the Home Minister. Recently, he hasn’t been seen outside. I wish him good health, but he keeps talking about Nagpur, the RSS, sticks, and half-pants. That’s all he seems to focus on.”

In a light-hearted jab, Narayanaswamy suggested that Kharge should focus on his own half-pants rather than others’.

He also questioned the state government’s decision to involve 22 ministers in the preparations for the upcoming Mysuru Dasara festival. He raised doubts about the authority of Urban Development Minister Yatindra Siddaramaiah, who is the district in-charge minister for Mysuru, asking, “What authority does Yatindra Siddaramaiah have? It seems he doesn’t even have time to manage his own household. Other ministers have been assigned responsibilities, and Yatindra is junior to them. He should stay home and oversee the arrangements there.”

Narayanaswamy humorously inquired why such a large number of ministers were deemed necessary for the Dasara preparations, noting that historically, the district in-charge minister handled all aspects of the festival alone. Yatindra Siddaramaiah is the son of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.