BENGALURU, 25 AUG

Congress MLC BK Hariprasad has demanded an apology from State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for singing the RSS anthem in the State Assembly, questioning, “Whom is he trying to please?” Hariprasad said, “No one will object if he sings the RSS anthem as deputy chief minister… but he is not supposed to sing it as the Congress state president.” He added, “It’s not proper to sing the prayer of an organisation that killed Mahatma Gandhi.”

Shivakumar sang the anthem on 21 August during a discussion on the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede that killed 11 people. Hariprasad criticised him further, saying, “He has many faces… He may be this one also (RSS worker).” He stressed Congress must not compromise on ideology.

Minister HC Mahadevappa defended Shivakumar: “He has only asserted that he too is a Hindu… Congress will continue to fight against that ideology.” Mahadevappa condemned extremism and said, “Any organisation, including the RSS, that is harmful to democracy and the Constitution must be opposed.”

Mysuru MLA Tanveer Sait said singing the anthem “does not mean he is in favour of the BJP.”