In Chittapur, a town in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district, a 1.25‑kilometre foot march by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) went ahead on Sunday under tight police guard. The march, which began at 3:45 p.m., finished at 4:22 p.m., and saw 300 volunteers and 50 drummers proceed from Bajaj Kalyan Mantap, past Ambedkar Circle, Basava Hospital, HDFC Bank Road and Basaveshwara Circle, before returning to their starting point.
The march received a court‑approved permit after the Karnataka High Court intervened. Local police let only RSS volunteers from Chittapur join the walk, keeping out those who had come from other parts of the state. Officers kept 650 police and 250 home guards on patrol, with drone and CCTV surveillance to maintain order.
Citizens lined the road, showered flowers, and cheered the procession. Volunteers opened the march with the RSS anthem, “Namaste Sada Vatsale Matru Bhume,” and carried a portrait of Bharat Mata. The town’s assembly member, Priyank Kharge – son of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge – made headlines earlier when he urged the state government to ban RSS public activities. That move sparked a chain of legal battles, with the government eventually granting permission under court orders.
Activists from Dalit and progressive groups criticized the march, calling for volunteers to forego carrying sticks or saffron flags and instead display the Constitution’s preamble and the national flag. Their objections added another layer of tension to the event.
The RSS march in Chittapur highlighted the ongoing debate over public assembly rights and civic security in Karnataka, drawing attention from both local authorities and national media.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
