Brainstorming session by top RSS leaders in New Delhi

Brainstorming session by top RSS leaders in New Delhi

The leaders will discuss the fate of the Modi govt and the role of its affiliates in anticipation of a possible third Covid-19 wave

FPJ News ServiceUpdated: Friday, June 04, 2021, 02:07 AM IST
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A Manipuri-Jewish child undergoes treatment for COVID-19 at Guru Tegh Bahadur COVID care centre, in New Delhi, on Thursday, June 3, 2021. | PTI

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief (Sarsanghachalak) Mohan Bhagwat is heading a 3-day brain storming session of the top RSS leaders here to discuss the fate of the Modi government and the role of its affiliates in anticipation of a possible third Covid-19 wave.

Those attending the closed-door session that will end on Saturday include RSS General Secretary (Sarkaryawah) Dattatreya Hosabale (60), his pedecessor Bhaiyaji Joshi, joint secretaries (Sah Sarkaryawah) Krishna Gopal, Manmohan Vaidya, Mukund, Arun Kumar, Suresh Soni, V Bhagaiya and Ramdutt Chakradhar.

These leaders basically constitute the top hierarchy of the RSS, ideological fountainhead of the BJP, that took birth as a social organisation at Nagpur in 1925 under Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and runs the show under the leadership of Hosabale.

Their discussions may also focus on PM Modi's image losing shine from the recent BJP failure to oust Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee frm power and the negative campaign against him in handling the second wave of Covid-19. They will also discuss the upcoming Assembly elections early next year in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur and the Congress-ruled Punjab.

Insiders say the RSS is quite upset with the performance of UP CM Yogi Adityanath, who is not from the RSS and often ignores its dictates because of the protection he enjoys from Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Though officially, the RSS maintains that this is a routine conclave that its top leaders hold from time to time to give a guidance to its cadres as also to its offshoot outfits and prepare them for relief works, it is also expected to reflect on issues such as post-poll violence in West Bengal and the fallout of the pandemic on the economy and employment.

The meeting will largely take stock of what is expected from the Sangh in terms of seva [relief works]. However, since the issue of targeted violence in West Bengal is of concern that is also likely to be on the agenda. There is a likelihood of discussing and conveying to the relevant authorities [government] what expectations there are vis-à-vis economic revival and scaling up the scope of social welfare schemes, said a functionary, requesting anonymity.

The RSS officially distances itself from electoral politics, but through coordination meetings with the BJP conveys to it the sentiments on the ground. There is a speculation that the Sangh is particularly concerned about the developments in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh where Hosabale and his predecessor Bhaiyyaji Joshi have had a string of meetings with the state leaders.

“Joshi... was in UP [Uttar Pradesh] to attend a Disha Pujan, and he met the local functionaries there. Dattaji too was stationed in Lucknow before his elevation to the post of general secretary, so he is also aware of the dynamics of the place and meetings were apolitical. The focus was largely on the current situation that is grim and what needs to be done to mitigate the problems,” said another functionary who also sought anonymity.

RSS has expressed concern over the Covid crisis but has largely thrown its weight behind the government. On May 15, Bhagwat had said both the government and the people had misread the situation after the first Covid-19 wave and that had resulted in the lowering of the guard for which nobody should be blamed as the time is for all to unitedly fight the Covid-19 curse and pursue positivity.

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