Sangh sounds alert about rivals' propaganda on 'plot' to end quota

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has cautioned BJP leadership about a huge "misinformation" campaign launched by its opponents about the Centre's alleged plan to scrap reservations for SCs and STs.

Sangh office-bearers shared the feedback, gathered through their countrywide network, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, at an interaction on Friday, saying that an unprecedented amount of energy has been invested in the campaign which apart from alienating BJP from Dalits can also hinder Sangh Parivar's efforts for larger Hindu unity.

Soures said that the PM took cognisance of the "notes" from the ground. The "propaganda" about the plan to dismantle caste quotas and viability of efforts to stitch together an anti-BJP platform were the main political issues in the report prepared on the basis of inputs from RSS functionaries, which was read out by BJP general secretary Ram Madhav.

On Saturday, BJP chief Amit Shah also dwelt on the issue while addressing RSS functionaries at Surajkund in Haryana. He acknowledged that the powerful campaign presents a challenge but asserted that it is not something that BJP cannot overcome, remarks that suggest the government and BJP may soon launch a counter-offensive.

Sangh functionaries also dealt with the effort to raise an anti-BJP front but felt that 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) experiment can work only in certain states as achieving all-encompassing opposition unity nationally will be difficult because of contradictions among potential partners.

Modi had on Saturday hosted a dinner at his official residence for Sangh functionaries. RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi and joint general secretary Krishna Gopal were among those present apart from general secretaries (organisation) from across the country. "It was a long time since the PM met with RSS functionaries, so he hosted the dinner which was also to take stock of how the country had functioned in his tenure," a senior RSS functionary told TOI.

General secretary (organisation), mostly full-time RSS pracharaks loaned out to BJP, play an important role in organisational matters and are seen as the interface between the party and other saffron outfits. A longtime RSS pracharak before he joined active politics, Modi seeks inputs from the Sangh on occasion to capitalise on the grassroots connect of the saffron fountainhead.

The functionaries have gathered in Surajkund in Haryana for a two-day meeting to take stock and discuss coordination among saffron organisations as BJP gears up for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The coordination meeting among key BJP and RSS functionaries assumes significance as the Sangh's wide reach and strenuous efforts to expand its footprint provides an advantage to BJP where it does not traditionally enjoy mass support.

The saffron party is already in poll mode with Modi and Shah holding public rallies in poll-bound states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The PM addressed a rally in Bhilai on Thursday.