RSS Does Not Need Registration to Establish Its Existence, Says B L Santhosh

BJP National General Secretary for Organisation B L Santhosh on Saturday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not need formal registration to establish its existence or legitimacy.

Speaking at an Akhand Bharat Sankalp Day programme organised by the Hindu Jagarana Vedike, Santhosh was responding to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who has called for the RSS to be registered.

Santhosh said the RSS has continued to function for decades with the support and trust of millions of people. He recalled the organisation’s activities during the Partition period and argued that registration was not what established its identity.

He also spoke about India’s freedom struggle, saying Independence was achieved through the sacrifices of revolutionaries and soldiers. Referring to freedom fighters including Madan Lal Dhingra, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, he said the country’s freedom came through years of resistance and sacrifice rather than being simply granted by the British.

Turning to questions of demography and national identity, Santhosh argued that changes in the Hindu population in different regions could affect people’s sense of connection with India. He referred to Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar and Chamarajapet constituencies and claimed that no Hindu candidate from any political party had won there in the past two decades.

He challenged political parties to field Hindu candidates in these constituencies, saying that maintaining a Hindu majority was essential to preserving India’s identity.

Santhosh also linked the demand for Pakistan to demographic and political mobilisation associated with the Muslim League during the period before Partition.

During his speech, he made claims about the role of RSS workers in confronting the Razakars in Hyderabad. He alleged that members of the Kharge family had fled to Gulbarga during that period. These remarks were part of his broader argument about the role of the RSS and its workers in India’s history.

Santhosh also called for a national commitment to the idea of Akhand Bharat, presenting it as a cultural and nationalist vision. He cited the reunification of Germany and Vietnam, as well as Israel’s history, while arguing that political and territorial changes were possible through long term national efforts.

He said India’s growing strength was making its critics around the world increasingly uneasy and called on Indians to work towards the realisation of Akhand Bharat as a long term national goal.