Former Bombay High Court judge BG Kolse Patil was in the news recently for making absurd comments on Hinduism and the RSS.
BG Kolse Patil (born 18 September 1942 in Guha, Ahmednagar) is a former judge of the Bombay High Court who resigned from the judiciary in 1990 to pursue full-time social activism. After leaving the bench, he founded the Lokshashan Andolan and worked closely with former Supreme Court judge P. B. Sawant.
Over the years, he became a prominent activist in Maharashtra, leading several grassroots movements on issues related to rural communities, Adivasis, farmers, and displaced people. His activism included participation in the anti-Enron protests, agitations against the Alibag SEZ, resistance to the Dow Chemicals project near Pune, and opposition to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project.
In 2019, he briefly entered electoral politics, announcing his candidature for the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat under the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), before later withdrawing support from the alliance.
In this report, we look at 10 major statements and controversies involving former Bombay High Court judge BG. Kolse Patil from 2016 to 2025. It highlights his repeated and highly contentious remarks targeting Hinduism, the RSS, Veer Savarkar, government institutions, and national security agencies, many of which were delivered from political platforms and forums linked to anti-Bharat organisations.
Anti-Hindu-RSS Statements by BG Kolse Patil
#1 “Hindu is not a religion but a Persian derogatory term”: BG Kolse Patil – 7 December 2025
Former Bombay High Court judge B.G. Kolse Patil, speaking at a Sufi-Saints convention organised as part of the 1500th birth anniversary celebrations of Prophet Muhammad, said: “Hinduism is not a religion. Brahmins created the ‘Hindu’ word to misguide us. It is derived from a Persian word which has a derogatory meaning.” B.G. Kolse Patil accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of being behind every riot in the country, including the 1984 Sikh riots. He said, “The RSS is behind all the riots in the country, including the 1984 Sikh riots.”
#BreakingNews | ‘Hinduism is not a religion’: Former Bombay High Court judge’s shocking remark sparks debate
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The statement was made during a religious convention celebrating Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary.
#2 BG Kolse Patil Claims Savarkar Was Convicted of Rape in London – 30 December 2019
In a video uploaded on 30 December 2019, by the YouTube channel Mumbai Express News, BG Kolse Patil stated that “Veer Savarkar was convicted of rape in London without furnishing any evidence.” In January 2020, Pune Police registered a case against him for these alleged defamatory remarks. Kolse Patil further claimed that Savarkar had confessed to the rape accusation before being convicted, and alleged that Savarkar opposed the Indian freedom movement, telling Indians that they need not fight the British but instead “fight Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians” within the country.
#3 BG Kolse Patil Alleges RSS Conspiracy in Hemant Karkare’s Death at SIO Telangana Event – 2 December 2018
Speaking at SIO Telangana’s Telangana Youth Quake – 2018, BG Kolse Patil made several controversial remarks against the RSS. Referring to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, he claimed that “the IB has become a branch of the RSS” and alleged that no bullet wounds from Ajmal Kasab or Ismail were found on the Mumbai ATS Chief Hemant Karkare’s body. He further stated that Karkare’s death was the result of an RSS conspiracy, claiming that ballistic findings did not match the terrorists’ weapons and that police firearms were responsible for his injuries.
#4 BG Kolse Patil Accuses RSS of Involvement in Multiple Bomb Blasts – 14 January 2018
In an interview with the Muslim Mirror, former Bombay High Court judge B.G. Kolse Patil alleged that “around 18 bomb blasts have been committed either by the RSS or by institutions associated with the RSS.” He further claimed that the accused involved were district- or state-level office bearers and Sangh Pracharaks.
#5 BG Kolse Patil Alleges RSS-ISI Link at PFI Rally in Delhi – 5 November 2017
Speaking at a rally organised by the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) in Delhi, retired judge BG Kolse Patil made several controversial allegations. He claimed, “This RSS chief Bhagwat got ₹24 crore from Pakistan’s ISI to destabilise India.” He further stated that “Brahmin-wadis don’t consider themselves Hindus… These Brahmin-wadi powers have divided Hindus.” Calling for unity among SC, ST, OBC, and all Hindu communities, he said, “We must realise who our enemy is. We must embrace every Hindu, SC, ST, and OBC. Our only enemy is Brahmin-wadi.” The remarks were made at a rally organised by an organisation later banned by the Indian government.
#6 “RSS is the biggest enemy of Bharat”: BG Kolse Patil – 3 October 2016 – Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi
While addressing the concluding program of the month-long national campaign Stop Politics of Hate organised by the banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), B.G. Kolse-Patil said, “I can give you in writing, I repeat, I can give you in writing that undoubtedly RSS is the biggest enemy of India. We need to defeat the poisonous ideology of RSS on ideological grounds.” He further stated that “Hindutva is nothing but a deluding name for Brahmanism, and the real enemies of India are Brahmanism and Capitalism.” BG Kolse Patil called for unity across communities to counter what he described as RSS-driven communalism and urged citizens not to fall prey to RSS propaganda.
Pro Radical Statements by B.G. Kolse Patil
#7 BG Kolse Patil Calls Malegaon Verdict “Death of Justice” – 31 July 2025
Reacting to the NIA court verdict in the Malegaon bomb blast case, Kolse Patil said he was “shocked” by the judgment, calling it “the death of justice” and “a blow to India’s democracy and secularism.” Speaking to The Indian Express shortly after the verdict, he questioned how six people died, and 100 were injured, yet no one was held guilty even after 17 years, asking, “If no one is guilty, did the blast take place on its own?” The former judge’s statement strongly criticised the judicial process and the court’s findings in the long-running terrorism case.
#8 BG Kolse Patil Urges Muslims to “Take to the Streets” at JIH Anti-CAA Protest – 11 January 2020
Speaking at a Protest against the CAA and NRC organised by Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Kolse Patil said, “We have started a movement. You (Muslims) should take the initiative now. You are 20-25 crores in population, and once you hit the streets, the entire country will be shaken.” The statement was made during nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.
#9 BG Kolse Patil Says Judiciary “Failed” in Babri Masjid Case at SDPI Event – 24 December 2017
At a book release event organised by SDPI, Kolse Patil said: “Indian judiciary is one of the strongest judiciary in the world which can change the society and provide justice to all citizens, but unfortunately the judiciary completely failed to perform its duty in the Babri Masjid case. Those who demolished the Masjid are still roaming freely.” Patil made the remarks during the launch of “Ayodhya: Pawn on the Political Chess” at the Sri Ram Hotel near Hanuman Garhi. The statement criticised the judicial handling of the Babri Masjid demolition case.
Other Controversies Around BG Kolse Patil
#10 Umar Khalid Tells NIA He Attended the Elgar Parishad on the Invitation of BG Kolse Patil – 15 April 2022
During questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case, former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid stated that he attended the Elgar Parishad event on 31 December 2017, on the personal invitation of former Bombay High Court judge BG Kolse Patil and stayed at Kolse Patil’s residence in Pune. The Bhima Koregaon case relates to the violence that erupted on 1 January 2018, during the 200th anniversary gathering commemorating the 1818 Battle of Bhima Koregaon. Clashes broke out between Dalit and Maratha groups, leading to one death and multiple injuries.
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