Image Courtesy:outlookindia.com

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is considered the ideological parent organisation of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday elected  Dattatreya Hosabale its  ‘Sarkaryawah’ , or General Secretary. ) Hosabale was the RSS’s Joint General Secretary till now. 

https://twitter.com/RSSorg/status/1373164875438977024

Bangaluru : Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS elected Shri Dattatreya Hosabale as its ‘Sarkaryavah’. He was Sah Sarkaryavah of RSS since 2009. pic.twitter.com/ZZetAvuTo4

— RSS (@RSSorg) March 20, 2021

He was elected to the second highest post of the RSS in Bengaluru, on the second day of the organisation’s highest decision-making body, Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), meeting that began on Friday. The sabha is held every year, and a new team is elected after every three years. According to news reports the meeting was attended by around 450 participants and many others joined online.

With this election Hosabale (65) has replaced the Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi (73), who held the post for four terms, each term is of three years. During his tenure Joshi was an influential man in the RSS, and the post itself is second only to that of the Sarsanghchalak, or the Chief of RSS, which at the moment is by Mohan Bhagwat, who is known to have a big influence in the BJP as well. According to a report in the Outlook Hosabale’s elevation to General Secretary of the RSS “ heralds closer ties with the ruling BJP government.” It stated that according to the RSS rule book, while the chief functions as a “guide and philosopher”, the general secretary, appoints central office bearers and presides over meetings. 

Multiple profiles of Hosabale, known as ‘Datta ji’ within the RSS, stated that he hailed from Shivamogga district in Karnataka, and was from a family which has always been associated with the Sangh Parivar. Hosabale holds a postgraduate degree in English Literature and has “a keen interest in foreign affairs'' reported Outlook. He was chosen to “interact with the foreign media last year” stated the report, adding that he spoke about the “selfless and equitable seva” of RSS workers across the country during the lockdown.

Because he is much younger than his predecessor, it also ensures that it will be Hosabale who will call the shots, as it were, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The Quint reported that Hosabale has “close relations with the BJP, especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. Hosabale is credited  as being the man behind the RSS’ door-to-door campaign to mobilise votes for the BJP, for the first time in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. This was a landmark for the RSS, which has always claimed that it was a non governmental, non political organsation. Hosabale may perhaps erase that fine line of a political ‘collaboration’ between the RSS, BJP and other right leaning parties and politicians. According to news reports Hosabale is a vocal government’s policies including the NRC, and NEP.   

According to news reports, Hosabale was “active during the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, and was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act” and was one of the leaders of the Sangh Parivar’s student organisation the ABVP, he has been in the RSS since 1968. Hosabale is also credited as being the “ mentor of organisational activities of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in the USA and UK” in his media profiles. He has also reportedly, “played an active role in setting up the Youth Development Centre in Guwahati, Assam” as well as the World Organization of Student and Youth. 

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