'Hindus Must Keep Swords & Knives': RSS Leader's Call For Armed Defence Sparks Row

RSS functionary Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has sparked controversy by urging Hindus to keep swords and knives at home for self-defence.

Shikara riders at Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir post Pahalgam attack.

Source : PTI

Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat has stirred controversy with remarks urging Hindus to keep swords and knives at home for self-defence, following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at a public event in Varkady, Manjeshwar on Monday, Bhat claimed that had Hindus shown weapons during the Pahalgam attack, it might have deterred the assailants. “Every Hindu household should keep a sword. If Hindus had shown a sword during the Pahalgam attack, that would have been enough,” he said, as per a report on PTI.

He further added that a six-inch knife does not require a legal licence and suggested that such preparedness is essential in the current climate. Referring to historical communal tensions, Bhat said, “Earlier, during Hindu-Muslim clashes, Hindus used to flee. That’s changing now. We must rise, and everyone must keep a sword at home.” 

His statements have ignited debate on social media and raised concerns in political circles, particularly over the implications of promoting weaponisation among civilians in a multi-religious and sensitive socio-political context. 

Kerala CM Condemns Pahalgam Attack, Urges National Unity

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed the Pahalgam terror attack with a markedly different tone, calling it an "inhuman act" and a "challenge to humanity." Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Vijayan urged the central government to issue a “befitting reply” and stressed the importance of unity beyond caste or religion in the fight against terrorism, as per agency report.

Vijayan also paid tribute to N Ramachandran, a Keralite who lost his life in the Pahalgam attack, and lauded the bravery of Ramachandran’s daughter, Arathi, for protecting her family during the incident.

He called for safeguarding Kashmir’s image as the "heaven on earth" and preventing further bloodshed in the region.