Lucknow: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is planning to expand its footprints to rural Uttar Pradesh, with special focus on farmers and Ram Temple.
This comes amid four-month-long protests by the farming community against the BJP-led NDA government’s three agri laws.
A blueprint for the RSS’ plan was chalked out at a meeting held last Saturday in Lucknow, which was attended by the organisation’s new general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
“Rural outreach includes a target to reach every gram sabha in the state and focus on farmers includes a means of regular communication with the. Although this decision was taken at the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) of RSS, which was organised in Bengaluru last month, but a meeting with sarkaryavah (Hosabale) ji with the pracharaks in Lucknow prepared a blueprint of this plan,” a source in the RSS told ThePrint.
The meeting of the ABPS, the top decision-making body of the RSS, in Bengaluru also passed a resolution on the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, terming the development a golden chapter, which would inspire the upcoming generations for years.
At the Lucknow meeting, RSS workers were asked to spread the word about this resolution and also praise people who have donated funds for the construction of Ram Temple, the source said.
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Awadh region plan has been fully finalised
In UP, the RSS has six prants (provinces) — Braj, Meerut (western UP), Kanpur-Bundelkhand, Awadh, Gorakhpur and Kashi (Varanasi).
The blueprint for the Awadh region, which comprises 25 districts, including Lucknow, Rae Bareli and Ayodhya, has been finalised.
The RSS has set a target of opening shakhas in 1,819 divisions in Awadh, mainly comprising gram panchayats. At present, shakhas are being organised in 1,065 divisions in Awadh, said an RSS functionary of Awadh prant.
Awadh region’s regional secretary Prashant Bhatia said the exercise is being planned in the run-up to the centenary celebration of the RSS in 2025. The RSS was founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar on 27 September 1925.
“We would be able to meet the target before the centenary celebrations. I can only assure you about Awadh prant because I am representing it, I can’t give details of other prants,” he added.
Another RSS functionary said, “At Kashi prant, at present, there are shakhas in 1,514 divisions. We will increase it and plan to double this number before 2025.” The RSS has similar plans for other prants too, he added.
Special campaign for farmers
To increase it’s rural outreach in UP, the RSS has planned to start a Bhumi Suposhan Abhiyan (land nutrition campaign) across the state.
Sunit Khare, RSS deputy in-charge of Awadh prant, said, “Sangh has planned a special campaign to help farmers increase fertility of their land, which will increase their production also.” Bhumi Suposhan Abhiyan will be carried out between 13 April and 24 July.
“We would urge the farmers to opt for organic farming and other necessary measures that could increase productivity,” Khare added.
A third RSS functionary in Kashi prant told ThePrint, “Our plan is to meet more and more farmers in the villages and try to help them physically, mentally and spiritually. We will reach each and every gram sabha of Uttar Pradesh. This mission is not related to the coming panchayat elections.”
In his two-day visit to Lucknow last week, Hosabale also attended a ‘Holi Milan’ event where Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma and cabinet Minister Mahendra Singh were also present.
An RSS functionary who attended the event told ThePrint, “That was a social event and not a political one. There was no discussion regarding the panchayat election or any election. We are not a political body. In RSS meetings, we focus on public outreach and training of the cadres. He (Hosabale) was sah-sarkaryavah earlier and Lucknow was his centre, so he knows many people here…”
(Edited by Debalina Dey)
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