A large number of delegates attending the three day conclave of RSS currently on in Ranchi, gave enough indication of their unhappiness at the manner in which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his coterie are underestimating the role of the RSS vis a vis BJP, but they at the same time underlined that the RSS cadres have to do their utmost to bring victory to the BJP candidates in the coming state assembly elections. The conclave began on July 12. And will conclude on July 14.
Narendra Modi has been vehemently opposed to drafting of the RSS activists and leaders in BJP. But the assertion that soon the RSS would depute some prominent faces in the BJP provided enough indication that Modi has made a tactical retreat and would not prefer to throw a serious challenge to RSS. If winning of elections has been Modi’s goal, for RSS too winning elections has attained prime importance as any defeat in future would endanger the growth and expansion of the organisation, which enters its centenary year in 2025.
In view of this political compulsion, the participants were in complete conformity to their leaders call to win over Jharkhand from the JMM-led INDIA bloc. The leaders virtually screamed and lamented that the state which the BJP had created in 2000 was now under the rule of JMM and the adivasis who were the backbone of the organisation were gradually but systematically shifting their alliance to JMM. The top leaders held the view that it was wrong handling of the issues by the BJP leadership and their inability to identify with the Adivasi aspiration that culminated in its defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Some participants sharing the ground level information accused Modi and Amit Shah of discrediting the BJP and especially RSS through their frivolous and irrational acts. They argued that arrests of the opposition leaders purely with the aim of victimising and lowering their image has endangered and impaired RSS and BJP. Though it did not come on record that the RSS leadership must convey its anguish to Modi and Shah and ask them to refrain from whimsical arrests which smack of settling political and personal vendetta. The anxiety of losing the election was writ large on the faces of pracharaks and leader and the conclave eventually decided to have a thread bare discussion on the defeat and also work out a viable strategy to win the next elections.
That Jharkhand has attained significance importance for RSS leadership is clearly evident that its chief Mohan Bhagwat would camp in Jharkhand for next 10 days and launch a massive plan to win over the Adivasis. Bhagwat and other leaders were quite anxious of the population imbalance. They told the participants that Hindus were gradually turning minority and every effort should be made to ensure it is not marginalised.
For RSS, Hemant Soren is the biggest threat. With him as chief minister again, the RSS and Saffron ecosystem cannot aspire to gain back its support base. Pracharaks from other states were also supposed to come out with their suggestions as how to strengthen the RSS in Jharkhand and retrieve its lost ground. The RSS leaders are groping in the dark to evolve their strategy to counter Hemant’s call for self assertion of Adivasi identity. Though the term of the present assembly in Jharkhand ends in January next year, the BJP and RSS are contemplating to club it with the assembly elections of Haryana and Maharashtra.
The mood of the conclave sends a strong message that RSS is not going to change its attitude towards Muslims. They adopting uncaring attitude to the saffron provocations, has turned the RSS and BJP nervous. The RSS leaders feel that by adopting this strategy they have succeeded in lowering the image and credibility of saffron ecosystem.
It was merely a coincidence that while the top RSS leaders were discussing the issues of resurrecting the RSS and not to dilute their anti-Muslim politics, top leadership of the Catholic Church in India met Modi on Friday and complained about the “growing attacks” on Christians while urging him to “intervene earnestly” to restore peace in Manipur.
In a letter to prime minister they underlined: “There have been several instances of harassment and attacks under false allegations of forced conversions and the misuse of the anti-conversion laws. We wish to clarify that the Church firmly opposes forced conversions. We would like to bring to your attention that poor, Dalit, and tribal Christians often face discrimination and exclusion. We appeal to you to extend reservation benefits to Dalit Christians, similar to those enjoyed by Dalits in other religious groups so that there is no discrimination based on religion which is guaranteed in our Constitution. In addition, we also appeal to you that the reservations provided to tribal Christians should be preserved intact and not withdrawn.”
Christian leaders’ move has a wider implication for Jharkhand. Here both Christian and RSS organisations are pitted against each other. RSS has meanwhile given the call for Ghar Wapasi (return home). Shocking indeed Modi did not give clear answers on the demands of Dalit Christians or the campaign to deny Scheduled Tribe status to Christians. The letter requested Modi to go to Manipur, and expressed solidarity with the people of Manipur. So far, 220 persons have been killed in clashes between Hindu Meiteis and Christian Kukis, and nearly 67,000 displaced. ”The letter was signed by the CBCI president and Archbishop of Trichur, Andrews Thazhath; the CBCI vice-president and Bathery Bishop, Joseph Mar Thomas; and the CBCI secretary-general and Delhi Archbishop, Anil Couto.
Nevertheless sources confide that Mohan Bhagwat has succeeded in his mission to fortify the position of Modi. The shift in the focus from the impact of the functioning of Modi government at ground level, to winning the election has persuaded the RSS rank and file not to force moving a resolution against some of Modi’s comments.. It is also construed that the RSS may agree to Modi’s move to let J P Nadda continue as the chief of BJP.
It is also said that the RSS will discuss issues related to INDIA’s narrative of caste census and divide and enhance connections with Dalit and Backward communities. Sources maintain that Rahul Gandhi’s systematic emphasis on dalit assertion and distribution of resources according to the percentage of population has unnerved the RSS leadership. To counter Rahul, the RSS is planning ‘Sampark Abhiyan’, coordinating organisations, deepening community outreach and organisational synergy.
At one stage the RSS leadership had turned cold towards centenary celebrating. But the mood of the house and deliberations made it clear that RSS will hold the celebration. RSS focusing more on election makes it amply clear that Bhagwat’s cryptic outburst after the polls was entirely directed against Modi. Insiders hold that Bhagwat would deliver some key direction to the pracharaks. He would redefine the task for the pracharaks. Behind the façade of analysing the report and review of Sangh’s training camps, the conclave is also expected to issue certain guidelines for interaction between the BJP governments and RSS cadres at the ground level. (IPA Service)
