Sources said it was also decided that an RSS functionary in every district will be assigned to communicate the grievances of swayamsevaks to local MPs and MLAs. Express Photo By Amit Mehra
THE RASHTRIYA Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has expressed concern about the impact of the recent Dalit protests on the image of BJP-led governments at the Centre and states, and has asked its offshoots as well as the BJP in Uttar Pradesh to increase outreach to Dalits. Sources said RSS office-bearers voiced this opinion at two meetings —- at Paschim prant (western UP region) in Ghaziabad on Tuesday, and at Braj region in Agra on Wednesday. More such meetings are likely to be held in other regions in the coming days to improve coordination between the BJP and RSS units ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
This was the first time since formation of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh that such coordination meetings were held at prant (region) units. All BJP MPs, MLAs and ministers from these regions took part. Sources said that at the meeting, the BJP held the SP and BSP responsible for the violence during the protests on Monday, and it was decided that the BJP would communicate the same to Dalits.
“It was discussed that notorious elements of SP and BSP want to malign the BJP government’s image. It was suggested that in future if there is any incident of harassment of Dalits, BJP leaders should meet the affected person, help him and report the matter to senior office-bearers in the organisation. To execute that work effectively, coordination is required between the BJP and its MPs and MLAs with different RSS offshoots,” said a BJP leader who attended the meeting.
For coordination, a weekly ‘samanway shakha’ has been planned at Prant level, at which office-bearers of all RSS offshoots and BJP will share feedback. Sources said it was also decided that an RSS functionary in every district will be assigned to communicate the grievances of swayamsevaks to local MPs and MLAs.
“There are 51 BJP MLAs in western UP region and 57 in Braj region. MLAs were introduced to RSS functionaries at the meeting and asked to maintain coordination. It was suggested that coordination meetings at district level be held every month,” said an RSS functionary in Braj region.
In the last few years the BJP has been celebrating the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on April 14 as ‘Samrasta Diwas’, during which leaders address meetings on Ambedkar’s life and dine with Dalits. “This year the programme will be comprehensive. Seminars and sahboj (dining with people of all communities) will be organised up to mandal units. Dalits will be felicitated for their social contribution. BJP leaders will highlight the Narendra Modi government’s steps to honour Ambedkar. We will expose the SP, BSP and Congress, who are conspiring to create an anti-Dalit image of BJP,” said another BJP leader.
“Dalits will be told that workers of opposition parties were involved in the violence on Monday, and the BJP government had no role in the Supreme Court order regarding changes in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”
Those who attended the meetings include state BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey, state general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal, BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) Shiv Prakash, Paschim Kshetra Pracharak Alok and pracharaks of both the prants along with Vibhag and district-level units of RSS and its offshoots. Sources said that Union ministers Mahesh Sharma, V K Singh, Santosh Gangwar, Krishna Raj and others from the UP government were also present.
When contacted, RSS Braj Prant Sampark Pramukh Pramod said, “It was a routine meeting to focus on coordination between organisations.” He added that there will be routine programmes and a traditional ‘shobha yatra’ in Agra on April 14. BJP’s Braj region president B L Verma said there were discussions on coordination between the government and different organisations in view of 2019 elections. “On April 14, more Dalits will take part in Samrasta Diwas. We will reach out to them with the message that Monday’s violence was a conspiracy of the opposition,” he said.
BJP’s western UP region president Ashwani Tyagi also termed the meeting routine, but added that Samrasta Diwas will be celebrated at the mandal unit level.