By Mukesh Gupta
New Delhi, Nov 19 (UNI) Alok Kumar, international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has dismissed recent Karnataka government remarks about a possible ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), warning that past attempts to curb the organization have failed and could backfire politically.
Speaking exclusively to UNI, Kumar emphasized that whether the RSS chooses to register formally is entirely its own decision, rejecting calls from political leaders for mandatory registration.
Kumar said that imposing restrictions on the RSS would amount to obstructing its work and pointed out that prior bans had not endured. He cited Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s post-Independence ban on the RSS following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, which was lifted after nationwide protests by its members and supporters. He drew a parallel with the Emergency era, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the closure of RSS offices and the imprisonment of many of its members. “Even then, the ban did not last,” Kumar said, noting that the political backlash ultimately harmed Gandhi’s government. Kumar also referenced the 1992 ban imposed by Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, which was later struck down by the courts. The RSS, he said, is “rooted in India’s traditions and culture” and continues to survive because of support from Hindu society.
Responding to recent Congress calls for the RSS to register formally, Kumar said such registration is not legally required. The RSS functions as an “association of persons,” and Indian law does not mandate registration for every such association. “Whether the RSS chooses to register or not is its own decision,” he said. “There is nothing unlawful about it.”
Kumar warned that attempts to restrict the RSS could have political consequences. “Those who try to impose bans ultimately face the consequences,” he added.
