Congress leaders warn party cadre about SIR and RSS-BJP

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, party MP Randeep Surjewala and senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad during the inauguration of Hariprasad as the new president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Sunday. | Photo credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.

The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Review (SIR) and RSS-BJP politics came up during a program organized by the ruling Congress to mark the formal assumption of office of KPCC president by senior leader BK Hariprasad.

“If we do not come to power in the next elections, the country has no future. RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are destroying the country. This is affecting the lives of youth and women. Mr. Modi’s style of functioning is similar to those who have ruled for several thousand years and RSS is supporting him. People with RSS background are being pushed into jobs, including teachers,” said Congress President Kharge Mallikarjun MM

“One day or the other, the Modi government will fall. If Mr. Modi is destroying India, US President Donald Trump is destroying the world,” he said, urging party workers to protect people’s voting rights.

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was more vocal when he asked everyone to fill the enumeration form and submit it to the BLO to ensure that their votes remain intact. He pointed out that 91 million voters were struck out in West Bengal and 64 million voters in Tamil Nadu.

KPCC president BK Hariprasad said that though the constitution allows the practice of any religion, the BJP indulges in politics based on religion. “BJP has not abandoned any regional parties after coming to power. It is going to destroy all regional parties, which Congress has not done. In fact, regional parties were formed during the Congress regime,” he said.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the BJP is trying to divide the country in the name of culture, caste and religion. “The Bahutva character of the country is being destroyed. It is necessary to respect and protect the Bahutva.”

Kharge gets angry

Congress president Mallikarjun M. Kharge, who became visibly angry during his speech, was angered by the raising of slogans by sections of the crowd during the event. “When you shout here, do you think you will rule the country? Useless guys,” he said as a section of the gathering raised slogans for Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who tried to intervene to stop the sloganeering.

He threatened to use the footage to initiate disciplinary proceedings. “This is a meeting of the Congress party and not a meeting of any individual. This is a function to unite all. Have all others come here to sweep when one section says one thing and another section says something else?” he asked.

Insisting on discipline in the party, he said, “There is no room for hero-worship, no matter how great a leader is. In 58 years of my political career, I have seen ups and downs. Many leaders became leaders because of the Congress. Though their contribution to the party is less, the Congress has given them strength. So be patient. This is our meeting to strengthen the party.”

5 member guarantee panel in each panchayat

As the state government revises its guarantee schemes to plug leakages, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said a five-member guarantee committee will be set up at the gram panchayat and ward levels to check documents of beneficiaries.

“I discussed the formation of these guarantee committees with party seniors. All sections will be represented in the committee,” he said, adding that thousands of party workers were accommodated in the guarantee committees, although many of them failed to secure positions of power.

He said that guarantee committees would be set up in 7,000 gram panchayats and 4,000 wards.

Published – 21 Jun 2026 21:20 IST