Activist alleges misinformation linking RSS to cartridges

CH NEWS, BENGALURU Political tensions in Karnataka have escalated following the formal filing of a criminal complaint against State Home Minister Priyank Kharge at the Banashankari Police Station, alleging the dissemination of misinformation and malicious digital content linking a major socio-cultural organization to an inter-state ammunition seizure. The formal complaint, lodged by a social activist, centers on a controversial digital post shared by the Minister on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). According to the complainant, Kharge’s post referenced a high-profile inter-state ammunition smuggling case which involved the recent recovery of approximately 19,250 live cartridges by Bihar Police in the Bhojpur district and another 25,000 cartridges by the Haryana Special Task Force (STF) near the Rohad Toll Plaza in Jhajjar. Citing images and reports allegedly showing individuals in RSS uniforms, the Minister’s post posed critical questions directed at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while reiterating demands for the organization's formal registration. The complainant contends that the Minister's insinuations were intentionally misleading, designed to tarnish organizational reputations, disrupt communal harmony, and incite public mischief. Consequently, the petition urges law enforcement authorities to register a First Information Report (FIR) under specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 including Sections 192, 196, and 353, which address the provocation of riots, the promotion of enmity between different groups, and the making of statements conducive to public mischief. Furthermore, the complainants emphasized that holding a high constitutional and ministerial office should not exempt individuals from standard criminal investigation protocols, demanding the preservation of all relevant electronic records. While investigations into the inter-state ammunition network remain active, police and agency reports have noted that official involvement of any specific ideological or parent organization has not yet been legally established. Political analysts suggest that the legal challenge will likely trigger intensified debate over free speech, ministerial accountability, and political rhetoric across the state.