For the first time, the All India Coordination Meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is being organized in Palakkad, Kerala from 31 August to 2 September. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Sangh. This time, the main focus of the three-day conference will be on finding a solution to the casteist politics of the opposition. But seeing the way the Bharatiya Janata Party has weakened in its third term due to the withdrawal of RSS, it is being said that the Sangh now wants a more important role at the Centre. According to The Hindu newspaper, the Sangh Parivar wants an increased participation of about 35 organizations affiliated to it in the society in the coming years. For which it wants to prepare a roadmap.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, all six joint general secretaries and other senior officials will participate in this conference, while the BJP team is expected to include party chief JP Nadda, general secretary BL Santosh and joint general secretary Shiv Prakash, among others.
Sangh will find a solution to caste politics
The Indian Express writes that now the RSS is also trying to build strong ties with various independent Hindu organizations and pressure groups to increase its reach. The VHP has been tasked with promoting social harmony among the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and slum populations, especially before Diwali.
For many years, the Sangh has been fighting to end caste divisions through a social harmony campaign. There should not only be unity among Hindus but it should also be visible. But after the setback suffered by the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the need to focus on this again is being felt. Especially the reason behind the crushing defeat in Uttar Pradesh was believed to be that the Dalits had distanced themselves from the BJP. And the party was reduced to 240 seats and was deprived of a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Samajik Samrasata Abhiyan is usually associated with RSS shakha-level workers ensuring access to temples and wells for Dalits. Community feasts are also common, where RSS workers sit and share food with people from the Dalit community.
But now the problem has become more serious. This is not enough. Just having a feast with Dalits and backward classes is not enough. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is constantly talking about caste census. Along with this, Rahul Gandhi is constantly saying how much participation Dalits and backward classes are getting. The public knows that from 2004 to 2014, Congress was in power at the center and nothing was done for the participation of Dalits and backward classes and caste census. Still, Rahul Gandhi’s words are attracting people. Perhaps this is the reason that recently a Dalit officer has been appointed as the Chairman of the Railway Board.
Generally, RSS has also made its views flexible regarding reservation. Many previous statements of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are witness to this, but even now the image of RSS is recorded among the common people as anti-reservation. RSS and BJP will also have to think about how to get rid of this image.
RSS now wants an increased role
Currently, the BJP central leadership is improving relations with its ideological parent organization. After the Lok Sabha elections, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is holding a series of meetings in the states of North India. Coordination meetings of the Sangh have been held from Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh. A few days ago, Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat met UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath behind closed doors. Even after that, when the controversy in the name of organization versus government dispute increased in UP, several rounds of meetings were held between the government and the organization with the Sangh.
The Sangh wants to play an important role in the upcoming assembly elections. Perhaps this is the reason why coordination meetings are being held continuously in Haryana. Sangh leaders are being consulted on issues ranging from ticket distribution to election campaigns and giving tickets to people coming from other parties, relatives of politicians, etc.
The recent appointment of former BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav as in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections is also an indication of this. Ram Madhav was removed from the post of BJP general secretary in 2020 when new party president J.P. Nadda reorganized his team. The Indian Express writes that his return now also shows that the RSS’s message is that the organization will have an impact on BJP’s electoral ambitions and party structure in the future.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)