Members of the Sauharda Karnataka Vedike have written an open letter to political leaders and religious heads appealing to them not to participate in the week-long Bharatiya Sanskriti Utsav event, which they claim is being sponsored by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), scheduled to be held in Sedam town of Kalaburagi district from January 29.

Vedike members R.K. Hudgi and Meenakshi Bali, addressing presspersons in Kalaburagi, have said that the RSS is trying to make inroads into Kalyana Karnataka region by organising the week-long utsav.

Prof. Hudgi said that the Bharatiya Sanskriti Utsav event to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of Kottala Basaveshwara Bharatiya Education Society is an attempt by the RSS to spread its ideology and gain a foothold in the region.

He stated that the education society is celebrating its golden jubilee event on such a grand scale by organising the week-long utsav, inviting RSS leaders from across the country, spending crores of rupees.

Ms. Bali appealed to the people of the district, religious heads, public representatives, besides those who follow the teachings of the Buddha, Basaveshwara and B.R. Ambedkar, not to participate in the utsav.