Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is one of the most high-profile Congress leaders in the state, has been caught in the middle of a political firestorm after reciting a verse of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) anthem on a hot day in the Karnataka Assembly. Under attack from political rivals and grumblings within his own party, Shivakumar has made it clear that his comments were taken out of context, and he remains steadfastly committed to the Gandhi family and the Congress party.
Addressing media persons at Bengaluru, Shivakumar emphasized that his statement had been manipulated to give rise to unnecessary controversy. He averred that he never meant to eulogise the RSS, the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but instead employed the lines in order to ridicule Opposition leader R Ashoka. “A few days back, in an attempt to reply to a debate on the issue of IPL match, I only sang three lines of their prayer to tug at the Opposition leader. I did not intend to praise them,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar took a conciliatory stance, saying if anybody was offended by his remark, he was ready to apologize. “If anybody has been hurt, I apologize. I want to seek an apology, but not because of political pressure,” he made it clear.
A Controversy in the Making
The row started when Shivakumar quoted a few lines from the RSS anthem during a debate in the Assembly. The action evoked stern criticism from the BJP, which charged that he had taken advantage of double standards, and also elicited mixed responses from Congress workers, some of whom felt the act endangered the party’s ideological position.
Shivakumar, however, rebutted these claims, claiming that his comment was being “misused” for politics. “Some of my friends are making a political jump out of it and attempting to confuse the public,” he said, claiming that the Opposition was intentionally fanning the controversy for deflecting focus from governance discussions.
“Gandhi Family is My God
In what was arguably his most vehement declaration of his political allegiance, Shivakumar reiterated his commitment to the Gandhi family. “The Gandhi family cannot be questioned by anybody. I am a born Congressman. I will die as a Congressman. Gandhi family is my God and I am a devotee,” he stated.
The assertion highlights Shivakumar’s long-standing reputation as a party high command loyalist from Delhi. While a number of regional Congress leaders in India have defected or criticized central leadership, Shivakumar has always kept himself firmly as a strong supporter of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi.
He also remembered his decades-long affiliation with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, whom he has served for over three decades under his leadership. As per Shivakumar, his ideological foundation and dedication to the Congress are not up for negotiation.
Defending His Political Journey
Trying to place the controversy in perspective, Shivakumar referenced his political trajectory, which dates to the late 1980s and has been one of successes and failures. He referred to his choice to study political science at the age of 47, emphasizing how he was focused on thoroughly learning the history of Indian politics, such as the Congress, the RSS, the BJP, the Janata Dal (Secular), and the communists.
“I have read the history of all parties. My mind and my loyalty are with the Congress,” he replied, dismissing speculations that his remarks indicated ideological confusion.
Shivakumar also spoke about his experience of guarding the Congress during times of crises. He remembered how he had once united almost 200 MLAs to save the party when defections had the potential to bring down the state government. Aside from political gamesmanship, he was forthcoming about sacrifices at the personal level—his stint in Tihar prison, Enforcement Directorate cases, and other battles in court. “I have endured hardships in the party’s interest,” he said, implying that his allegiance had been tested time and again.
No Interference in Governance
The Deputy CM also took the time to react to another big Karnataka political development—the enactment of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill 2025. He assured that there would be no political meddling in the operations of city corporations and that the bill was a means to enhance urban governance. This was an attempt to send the message that while controversies make headlines, governance was the government’s priority.
A Balancing Act
Shivakumar’s eagerness to apologize while standing firm on his commitment to the Gandhi family shows the tightrope he is walking. He knows on the one hand the sensitivity of Congress workers who see the RSS as an ideological foe, and then he has to walk the political line of Karnataka, where the BJP is still a force to reckon with.
In calling the Gandhi family his “God” and his “devotee,” Shivakumar is making a distinct political separation between the RSS controversy and his political persona. It is also a message to the Congress high command that his loyalty stands, even though rival regional parties seek to corner him on his words.
Whether the row will have a long-term political fallout is difficult to predict. For the moment, Shivakumar has managed to turn the spotlight back on to his allegiance to the Congress and its leadership, presenting himself as both a disciplined party soldier and an old hand at political survival.
His message was unequivocal: though words get distorted, his allegiance to the cause of the Congress remains unstirred. “Whether I am here, how long I am here, how long I live, that is not important. I would like to remain in the history of my party. That is my commitment to the party,” he said.
As Karnataka’s politics keep churning, the RSS anthem controversy will wither away, but Shivakumar’s reassertion of his loyalty to the Gandhi dynasty will be remembered as yet another page in his complicated and ambitious political life.
