Mangaluru (Karnataka), Apr 29 (PTI) Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat suggested that "Hindus should keep swords and knives at home for self-defence", citing the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.

Speaking at an event in Varkady, Manjeshwar, in Kerala's Kasaragod district on Monday, Bhat claimed, “Every Hindu household should keep a sword. If Hindus had shown a sword during the Pahalgam attack, that would have been enough.”

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He also urged women to carry knives in their vanity bags alongside the usual items they carry.

The RSS leader claimed that carrying a six-inch knife does not require a 'licence' and added, “If you're out after dusk, there is every chance of an attack. Don't plead with attackers—just show the knife and they will run away.”

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His comments have drawn attention on social media and among political circles.

Referring to past communal tensions, Bhat claimed, “Earlier, during Hindu-Muslim clashes, Hindus used to flee. That's changing now. We must rise, and everyone must keep a sword at home.”

There has been no official police statement on the remarks thus far.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)