Bengaluru:BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has challenged Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge to produce evidence within three days to substantiate his allegations linking Sangh Parivar members to the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalaburgi, or resign from his post.

Reacting to Kharge’s remarks at a Muslim League programme in Kerala, Surya said securing justice in the high-profile murder cases required seriousness and commitment rather than political speeches. In a social media post, he said the Home Minister’s responsibility was to ensure justice under the rule of law and not pronounce prejudiced judgments from political platforms.

Surya questioned the delay in the trials, pointing out that the chargesheet in the Gauri Lankesh murder case was filed in 2018, while the trial began in 2022. The case is now before its seventh judge, and all the accused are out on bail, he said. . In the Kalburgi murder case, only 33 of the 139 witnesses had been examined by September 2026, highlighting the slow pace of the proceedings, he added.

He said Congress had been in power in Karnataka for most of the period since the murders and that the state government had constituted the SITs. The Home Department must explain its role in ensuring effective investigations and trials, he demanded.

Surya also questioned Kharge’s assurance that the cases would be concluded within six months and those responsible would be sent to prison, saying such statements could raise concerns about judicial independence. He asked Kharge to disclose the names of those allegedly linked to the Sangh who had been chargesheeted and provide evidence within three days or resign.

Kharge had alleged that people associated with the Sangh Parivar were behind the murders and expressed confidence that the accused would be brought to justice within six months.