Begusarai, Feb 17 (IANS) Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday slammed Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge for accusing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of money laundering, saying that it would take many lifetimes for him to understand the organisation.

Speaking to reporters, Giriraj Singh said that Priyank Kharge’s remarks against the RSS were unfortunate and claimed that even Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would not be able to comprehend the organisation.

“Those who follow Rahul Gandhi are just his chairman’s sons. Priyank Kharge’s comments on the RSS are unfortunate. To understand the RSS, it is not Priyank Kharge who needs to understand — it would take many lifetimes for Rahul Gandhi to even begin to comprehend it,” Singh said.

He further added, “So, Priyank Kharge will never understand it. Even Kharge does not know, so how will he know?”

The BJP’s response came as Priyank Kharge, speaking in Bengaluru accused the RSS — widely regarded as the ideological mentor of the BJP — of engaging in “money laundering” and raised questions about its sources of funding.

“The RSS has a network of more than 2,500 organisations. They take money from them. I am saying these people are involved in money laundering,” Kharge alleged.

He also questioned why the RSS was not registered and asked whether the organisation considered itself “above the law or the Constitution.”

Continuing his attack while speaking to the media on Monday, Kharge said, “Nobody knows how the RSS gets its money. More than 2,000 or close to 2,500 organisations are supporting the RSS through so-called dakshinas domestically and internationally, and they have all been linked to the RSS. Where are they getting money to lobby in the US?”

He further claimed, “Very clearly, the United States government revealed a document saying that the RSS was lobbying for nation-building in the United States. Where are they getting all this money from? People of India need to know how this so-called cultural organisation is destroying the social fabric in the country. It is doing anything but nation building.”

Meanwhile, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal also criticised Priyank Kharge for his allegations against the RSS and claimed that he belonged to a group seeking to undermine Sanatan Dharma.

Speaking to IANS, Bansal said, “Priyank Kharge is part of the same gang that aims to destroy Sanatan Dharma and is continuously engaged in efforts to eliminate Hindus, Hindutva, the saffron ideology, and Sanatan traditions.”

–IANS

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