The BJP’s spectacular win in Tripura won’t have been possible without its ideological mentor the RSS creating an enabling atmosphere in the state through its massive outreach programme for the past one year.
The details of the RSS' social outreach was revealed during Sangh's annual meeting in Nagpur, which started on Friday. There has been an increase in the number of shakhas across the country from 57,165 in 2016-17 to 58,967 in 2017-18.
The real gainer of the RSS' work in the North East has been the BJP as it increased its vote share, particularly in Tripura by over 40 per cent.
According to the annual report read out by RSS general secretary (Sarkaryavah) Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, the RSS organised a massive Hindu Sammelan in Agartala on September 17, 2017.
“The preparations for the programme started in the month of June, and the objective was to reach out to maximum villages and ensure representation from each of them. A plan to contact each and every tribal group was prepared,” Joshi said.
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This outreach process was further strengthened as Sangh celebrated Hindu festivals like Gurupujan, Raksha Bandhan, Vijayadashmi.
The Sangh cadre then held household meetings, conducted an introduction to their programmes. Efforts were carried out to reach to the new areas and new families. “The invitations were delivered personally and not through the usual technological tools. Each house was hoisted with a saffron flag and consequently in just two days one lakh households could be reached,” the report revealed.
Finally in September, in the presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, a mega Hindu congregation took place in which out of 1,043 villages of the prant (Sangh's state unit), 505 were represented. “In the 3,346 household meetings 15,000 people participated. With the efforts of more than 800 Karyakartas (cadre), 26,000 Hindus participated in the programme, the annual report further added.
“The Hindu sammelans organised in the northeastern states, especially in Tripura, was inspirational in much ways. The admiration expressed by eminent personalities from social, religious, industrial fields indicates the growing acceptability of our work,” the RSS said.
RSS conducts social programmes among Hindus, the BJP reaps the electoral benefits later on. Sangh's work at bringing homogeneity among the Hindus tiding over the caste differences has helped the BJP in several states, Tripura has been the recent case.
RSS' annual report
During the year, Bhagwat toured across the country meeting people and addressing gatherings. He met president of Ramakrishna Math, Swami Smarananand, Syedana Saheb, a Bohra community leader and Isha Foundation’s Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev. He also met President Ramnath Kovind during the year. RSS chief also gave lecture at Maharashtra Chambers of Commerce, Mumbai, held interaction at National Defence College, Delhi, apart from several informal interactions with heads of embassies of various countries.
Signalling an expansion in RSS' work, the shakhas have been increasing in the past a few years particular after the 2014 elections. From 44,982 shakhas in 2014, they increased to 51,332 in 2015 and finally to 58,967 in 2017-18 across 37,190 places across the country.
RSS in its annual report expressed its concern at the incidents of internal strife in the society. “Violence and damage to public property in such incidences is highly condemnable. Learning from the past and creating the amicable and healthy environment by resolving the present problems should be the priority of all. In such situations, we have to be careful about the divisive forces,” RSS general secretary said in his report.
Around 15,00 invitees are attending the three-day conclave at Dr Hedgewar Smriti Bhavan in Nagpur.
One of the key events during the meeting will be to elect a Sarkaryawah (general secretary) for the three-year term.
RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya said that the growing interest to know more about RSS and understand its work is visible among various sections and strata of the society.
“Especially, the elite class of the society seems to be more interested in understanding RSS. The meeting would also discuss to reach out to various sections of the society through its Sampark (Communications) Vibhag,” he said. He further added that 50 per cent of the IT professionals who often travel abroad are curious to know about their cultural roots, and to know about that they join RSS. Around 30 per cent of them join the organisation because they want to do something for the society, he added.