Priyank Kharge questions Bhagwat over alleged RSS links to ammunition racket

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday questioned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over the alleged involvement of individuals associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in an interstate ammunition-smuggling racket following the seizure of 44,250 live cartridges in Bihar and Haryana.

He demanded answers from Bhagwat and the BJP over photographs purportedly showing some of the accused wearing RSS uniforms and called for greater accountability from the organisation.

Describing the seizure as a serious national security concern, Kharge said the case was not an ordinary criminal matter and demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged network.

In a statement, he questioned whether the individuals seen in the photographs were RSS Swayamsevaks and, if so, what positions they held in the organisation. He also sought clarification on their alleged involvement in the ammunition racket, their intentions and who they were working for.

Kharge raised questions about the intended recipients of the 44,250 live cartridges and asked whether the ammunition was meant for organised criminal networks, extremist groups or other unlawful activities.

He also called for an investigation into reports that the seized cartridges bore markings associated with the Khadki ammunition factory in Pune. Questioning how government-manufactured ammunition could have entered the illegal market, he demanded that investigators identify the licensed arms dealers and intermediaries allegedly involved in diverting the ammunition.

Kharge further questioned the silence of the BJP and RSS, stating that organisations which frequently speak about nationalism, patriotism and national security should also be accountable when individuals allegedly associated with them come under scrutiny in serious criminal investigations.

He said the circumstances surrounding the seizure raised several questions about the source of the ammunition, the alleged supply chain and the duration of the network’s operations. He demanded that the investigation establish how the cartridges were procured and transported, and identify those responsible for the alleged illegal trade.

Kharge also renewed his demand for the registration of the RSS, arguing that maintaining proper membership records would strengthen accountability and help verify organisational associations.

Directly addressing Bhagwat, he said he was willing to personally facilitate the RSS’s registration and even bear the registration fees.