NRC good initiative, remove shortcomings, says RSS

Several issues including the situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 as well as building a Ram temple in Ayodhya were discussed on the concluding day of All India Coordination Committee meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that commenced on Sep 7.

Pushkar (Rajasthan): The three-day All India Coordination Committee meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) concluded in Rajasthan's Pushkar on Sunday.

According to sources, several issues including the situation in Kashmir in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 as well as building a Ram temple in Ayodhya were discussed at the meeting that commenced on Sep 7.

At the conclave, several office-bearers of the Sangh, during open sessions, brought up these issues for discussion. However, no important proposals are likely to be put forth or passed.

Addressing a press conference, on the concluding day of the three-day national conclave, RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, said "Concerns were raised on issues like education, social, cultural, upliftment of rural areas, Hindutva and nationalism. Apart from this, a wide number of arguments were put forth to reform the education system and to ensure a uniform education system in the country."

According to the sources present in the meeting, the NRC issue was discussed at length and concerns were raised on several genuine citizens being left out from the final NRC draft released on Aug 31.

In this regard, Hosabale said, "There are about 35 to 40 lakh illegal immigrants from Bangladeshis who are now settled in Assam, and had been issued legal documents during previous governments, which have complicated and made the entire issue more complex."

Meanwhile, the Sangh has been cautious on its stand on the reservation after a remark by its chief Mohan Bhagwat welcoming an informed discussion both for and against reservation created a furore.

Answering a query on reservation, Hosabale said: “Sangh supports the constitutional arrangement of reservation. Till the time, there is discrimination based on caste and creed, this arrangement should be continued.”

He also congratulated the Modi government for working to end the Maoist ideology in the country. “Their effect and impact has been reduced in states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand but the government can’t work alone in this direction and the society will also have to set ahead to accomplish this mission,” he said.

He said that special efforts are needed to develop education, health, employment, development and constitutional provisions in the nation’s central region.

All the organisations affiliated with the RSS will begin working for the upliftment of Scheduled tribes, villagers and women after deliberations held in the meeting.

More than 200 delegates of 35 RSS affiliates attended the coordination meeting, the first such after the Lok Sabha election. BJP working president J P Nadda, general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh were also in attendance.