Shivakumar’s shakha throwback: RSS anthem echoes in Karnataka Assembly; watch video

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar surprised legislators on Friday when he broke into the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) anthem Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhoome during a heated discussion in the Assembly.

The recital, captured on video and widely shared online, stunned many in the House—particularly given the Congress party’s long history of sharp opposition to the RSS, which is often described as the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A surprising turn in a political battle

The moment came during a debate on the recent stampede near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives. BJP legislators accused Shivakumar of triggering the frenzy by accompanying the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team from the airport to the stadium, waving the Kannada flag and celebrating with the players.

Defending himself, Shivakumar said he had attended the event in his capacity as Bengaluru in-charge minister and as a member of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

“I held the Karnataka flag, I wished the team, and I kissed the cup. I did my duty,” he said, while insisting that the tragedy was an accident comparable to incidents seen in other states.

Amid BJP jibes—including reminders that he once admitted to wearing “RSS chaddi”—Shivakumar suddenly began singing the opening lines of the RSS anthem. The opposition thumped tables in appreciation, while Congress benches fell silent. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari later mocked the Congress leadership on social media, saying the clip would leave the Gandhis “in ICU/Coma mode.”

'I am a Congressman'

However, Shivakumar clarified that his recital carried no political message.

“I am a born Congressman; my blood, my life, everything is here. I know how the RSS is building institutions in Karnataka, acquiring schools. I am a Congressman and will lead the Congress with all my strength,” he said. He also recalled attending RSS shakhas as a schoolboy in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar area.

The incident comes at a delicate time within the state Congress.

Reports suggest Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar have, in the last months, shifted positions in their quiet but ongoing tug-of-war over the Chief Minister’s chair, adding an extra layer of intrigue to Friday’s spectacle in the Assembly.