Kerala: RSS to scale up supermarkets network to blunt CAA boycott

Sangh Parivar has now responded by scaling up its supermarkets under the Akshayasree Mission, a network of self-help groups established by the Sangh Parivar’s co-operative movement, Sahakar Bharati. (File)

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has decided to expand its supermarkets under the Akshayasree Mission in Kerala. Akshayasree Mission is a network of self-help groups established by Sahakar Bharati — the Sang’s co-operative movement.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the decision to scale up its supermarkets comes as a reaction to the boycott it had faced in January during pro-CAA events.

The BJP had in January held several meetings in Kerala, especially in the Muslim dominated northern ones, to explain the people about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, it witnessed a unique scene when traders downed their shutters, and towns and junctions where the BJP planned these meetings wore a deserted look.

Stung by that tactic, the Sangh Parivar has now decided to scale up its supermarkets, the IE report said.

The Akshayasree Mission was started six years ago. However, it had only 24 outlets, branded Samrudhi, until the CAA protests. In the seven months since the protest, 10 more supermarkets have been opened and registration for another 40 stores has been completed.

RV Babu, state general secretary of the Hindu Aikya Vedi, an affiliate of the Sangh Parivar in the southern state, said that more Samrudhi supermarkets are being launched as a reaction to the boycott in January.

“There were already a few stores under the Akshayasree Mission; the new ones have been opened as a response to the boycott of the BJP’s pro-CAA campaign. These outlets have been launched spontaneously by workers wherever they were boycotted,” Babu said.

Aji Kumar, state general secretary of Sahakar Bharati, said that the stores primarily sell groceries and vegetables. He said that the RSS is keen to scale up operations.

“Several self-help-group units under the Mission are engaged in food processing, and those items will be sold in our stores. Our units have also started making incense sticks,” he said.

He added that the Akshayasree Mission plans to venture into textiles and restaurants next.