'Idle Mind is Devil's Workshop': BJP Leader Sudha Halkai Hits Back at Priyank Kharge Over RSS Remark

Kalaburagi, Karnataka: BJP leader Sudha Halkai hit back at Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge over his remarks on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP, accusing the party leaders of misunderstanding the organisation's role.

Speaking to ANI here on Monday, Halkai said, "There is a saying in English: an idle mind is a devil's workshop. This is exactly what is happening with Priyank Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and their teammates, because they probably don't understand what the RSS is. The people who are doing selfless service to the nation look like devils to them. The entire Congress is going on like this, because the people who serve the nation are haunting them."

Her remarks come after Kharge called the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a "devil's shadow" while questioning Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) financial transparency and legal status. His remarks come a day after he alleged that thousands of affiliated bodies were funding the organisation and demanded greater scrutiny.

Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, "They're unregistered. They don't want to register. All I'm asking is to follow the law of the land. If you're an individual, that does not mean that you should not be registered. Which law says that? You should be registered. I'm asking how you're getting the donations? Where are you getting the donations from? Who is donating? How come you're running such large operations domestically and internationally, and you're still not paying taxes?"

Citing media reports, he further claimed, "There is a huge article where they have traced where the money is coming from. More than 2,500 organisations are responsible for funding the RSS. So we're just asking how? In fact, this is the question that the Government of India should be asking."

Referring to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the Karnataka Minister added, "The RSS runs on Guru Dakshina. But that means as per the RSS, the guru is the flag, the Bhagva Dhwaj is the flag, right? The Bhagva Dhwaj is their guru. So, Guru Dakshina, they are collecting in the name of the flag. Can I also do the same? Tomorrow I'll also put up a flag and say this is my guru, and I will collect Guru Dakshina on its name. See, in India, even in a temple, when somebody donates, that is audited. Are they above God? Are they above the law?"

Kharge also cited Bhagwat's past remarks linking the BJP's success to the RSS, stating, "BJP is the devil's shadow. We need to start fighting with the devil. We need to get rid of the devil. Automatically these shadows will disappear."