Days after it was reported that RSS training camps are being run in government schools in Karnataka, state minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari said he doesn’t remember giving any such permission to the Right-wing organisation.
When asked about the presence of such camps in state government schools, Poojari said, “Don’t remember permitting RSS for training camps in government residential schools.”
“We permitted other organisations for personality development programs. I don’t think RSS even asked for permission for training camps,” he added.
On October 9, The Hindu reported that Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS), a government-run body, has given permission to an organisation affiliated to RSS to conduct training camps in Morarji Desai Residential School in Kolar and Uttara Kannada districts “without disturbing students”.
It was also reported that the permission was given on the recommendation of Poojary, who serves as the Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare.
Meanwhile, Student’s Federation of India (SFI) and other similar organisations have expressed opposition to using government residential school premises for RSS training and threatened to launch protests.
In Tamil Nadu, a group of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam activists on Sunday held a protest in front of a government primary school in Coimbatore alleging an RSS ‘shakha’ (meeting) was organised on the premises there.
Coimbatore Corporation Commisioner M Prathap ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Even as the civic body administration denied that it had given any permission for RSS to organise a meeting, the activists led by its General Secretary K Ramakrishnan raised slogans against the authorities and the RSS for promoting Hindutva activities inside a government school.
However, RSS sources said the organisation was not involved in any gathering on the premises.
