Priyank Kharge demands answers over 44,250 cartridges seized in Bihar, Haryana
The Karnataka Home Minister called the ammunition seizure a national security concern and questioned alleged links to the RSS.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has questioned the alleged involvement of individuals in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) uniforms in the seizure of 44,250 live cartridges in Bihar and Haryana. According to reports from ANI and The News Mill, Kharge described the incident as a serious interstate ammunition-smuggling network and a grave national security concern.
The seizure included approximately 19,250 cartridges recovered by Bihar Police in Bhojpur district and around 25,000 cartridges seized by the Haryana Special Task Force near the Rohad toll plaza in Jhajjar district. Kharge noted that the ammunition, which reportedly bears markings from the Khadki ammunition factory in Pune, could facilitate large-scale violence.
The minister raised several questions regarding the identity and roles of the individuals involved, asking if they were Swayamsevaks and what their intentions were. He also questioned how government-manufactured ammunition entered the illegal market and which licensed arms dealers or intermediaries were responsible for the diversion.
Kharge criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the RSS for their silence on the matter. He stated that the RSS should be formally registered with proper membership records to ensure accountability and to verify organisational associations.
Authorities have noted that investigations into the interstate network are continuing and have not found evidence of any organisation's institutional involvement in the case.