Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday alleged that India’s leading beef exporter had made its largest ever political contribution to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sparking a fresh political row.
In a post on X, Kharge claimed that the contribution included Rs 30 crore during 2024–25, in addition to previous funding routed through electoral bonds. He further alleged that while the central government promotes meat exports and expands overseas markets, individuals who consume beef are often targeted and labelled anti-national.
The Congress leader questioned what he described as a contradiction between accepting donations linked to the meat trade and publicly opposing beef consumption. Tagging the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its chief Mohan Bhagwat, he asked whether the organisation would object to such funding if it genuinely sought to uphold religious sentiments.
The remarks are likely to intensify the political exchange between the Congress and the BJP over issues related to trade, ideology and campaign financing.