Political discourse stirred in Karnataka on Thursday when Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar sang the RSS anthem inside the state assembly. Known as a staunch Congressman by identity, Shivakumar’s unusual act sent ripples across the political spectrum, leaving many surprised while offering others a moment of introspection.
The message is clear while his ideological roots are firmly within Congress, understanding the strengths and strategies of his political rivals is necessity for effective leadership.
Studying the opposition
In clarification, Shivakumar added that his act was not an endorsement of RSS ideology; rather, it reflects awareness. “I am a congressman by birth but have studied all political parties,” he is quoted saying, noting that the RSS has matured to the point where it has been systematically strengthening its grasp in Karnataka.
I am a Congressman for life!
I am a born Congressman; my blood, my life, everything is here. I know my friends and I know my opponents, and I understand them with clarity of thought. The RSS and BJP must reflect on their own history and ties, but let there be no doubt – I stand… pic.twitter.com/CTmOtK4FVF
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 22, 2025
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Acquiring schools, to educationally and value-formatively grow young minds the Sangh is slowly infusing itself into society. Knowing one’s adversaries is as crucial as developing their allies.
A Moment to Stun the assembly
That was the occasion when BJP legislators could ask Shivakumar whether he had once had a clear political background. In that case, he might not have been a member of an RSS ‘shakha’ as a child. Instead of denying or evading that question, however, he boldly countered by singing, in full House, “Namaste Sada Vatsale Matribhume,” the Sangh’s anthem. The counter-silenced the opposition benches, going viral on social media, showcasing in the House a rare moment of political theatre.
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With his rendition of that anthem, Shivakumar proved two things: first, he knows very well the ideological currents that run underneath Karnataka’s politics and second, he does not mind confronting the BJP on its own cultural turf. Reading it as both a challenge and a message, Congress leaders are not totally disconnected from the ground realities of the Sangh’s influence.
Political Ripples Ahead
His debunking of the Deputy Chief Minister by recalling experiences at RSS shakha during childhood would not have been without effect. It turned the DM into a position of political symbolism, so the Congress leader’s tactical awareness stands underlined that he is willing to breach conventional boundaries so as to make a point.
In the end, the act was much more than singing and became more a symptom of a statement. The alienation between the BJP and Congress defining the political battleground in much of the state finds its echo in the public debate over the ideological war that lies in understanding the opposition as much as opposing them.
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