RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tells members not to be influenced by BJP leaders

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in the recently concluded meeting in Chitrakoot has advised office bearers not to work under pressure and not to be influenced by BJP leaders. The RSS supremo's advice comes in the wake of allegations surfacing that the office bearers were working at the behest of BJP leaders.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) supremo Mohan Bhagwat in the five-day brainstorming meet held at Chitrakoot took several major steps and even chalked out a strategy for future course of action. The RSS chief advised office bearers not to work under pressure and not to be influenced by BJP leaders, amid reports surfacing that the office bearers were working at the behest of BJP leaders. What emerged prominently in the meeting is that some RSS members have even turned followers to the BJP leaders.

The matter concerning the Sangh is that to date, an office-bearer of Sangh's choice used to be placed in the central and state units of the BJP in a way to have indirect control, however, in the last seven years this hasn't been happening due to the growing influence of BJP leaders. It is in this regard, that a resolution was taken by the right-wing nationalist organisation to increase its presence in every village in the country by 2025, on completion of 100 years of the Sangh. In a bid to achieve this, the RSS members were also advised to work in coordination in their respective fields, in an independent manner sans political coercion. There are also plans to launch a Jan Jagran Abhiyan from September to create awareness among people regarding the various welfare works carried out by the RSS.

Discussions were also held keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. Also, Dattatreya Hosabale who was elected as General Secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was seen in the meeting, and it is learnt that he has been given the responsibility to assist the UP CM Yogi Adityanath. In fact, there is some rift between the big leaders of the Sangh and the BJP regarding the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. As it is well known that the BJP is now currently a two-man party unlike LK Advani's motto of 'party with a difference.

The Sangh has also signalled its intent to pressure the BJP having removed Krishnagopal, who is BJP’s coordinator for political issues and entrusted the responsibility to Arun Kumar. Meanwhile, Krishnagopal who was looking after the work of coordination between the BJP and RSS from 2014-15, has now been given the task of managing Vidya Bharati, the educational wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

In Uttar Pradesh, the country's largest state, BJP wants to contest the elections here in a different way, while the Sangh wants to channel its focus especially on Dalits and the backward community. With this, the BJP intends to downplay the allegations of communalism and also reduce the anti-incumbency factor of the present government. Sangh chief Bhagwat's statement about the DNA of Indians being the same is also being linked to the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.

A major topic of discussion in this meeting has also been regarding issues pertaining to Ram Mandir Trust's General Secretary Champat Rai. Apparently, the Sangh chief was not satisfied with the clarification given by Champat Rai, following the alleged accusations that surfaced regarding the purchase of land for the construction of Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. There is also news that some three to four cases have come to the notice of the association in which there has been a suspicious transaction of money. However, in lieu of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, no action has been taken against Champat Rai.