NEW DELHI: BJP’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) wants the government and the party to listen and ensure better co-ordination with its various affiliated bodies.
As the sangh is midway through its yearly planned activities across the country, it has called a three-day Samanvay Baithak (coordination meeting) with the BJP from September 2 to 4. Senior ministers and BJP top brass will be present, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to be present along with top functionaries and office-bearers of the affiliated bodies, sources said.
Apart from issues like upcoming Bihar elections, organisational expansion of the BJP and the sangh, topics on cultural nationalism and policy matters would also feature in the talks.
The sangh is likely to flag two issues with the BJP and the government in the meeting that has been specifically called by the RSS. “In the past one year two issues have cropped up since the new government has taken over. There has been a growing feeling that many of the affiliated bodies have been raising issues, and commenting on the policy matters in the public, thus causing confusion. RSS bodies have also been independently submitting their policy suggestions to the government. There was a growing feeling that it they should go through one channel,” said a sangh insider.
Currently, RSS joint general secretary Krishna Gopal engages with the BJP, while the party already has general secretaries Ram Lal and Ram Madhav who act as links between the sangh, party and the government. But, RSS bodies were airing their views separately. Sources said there were suggestions that there should be a mechanism so that sangh’s view reaches the government through one channel.
The second issue which has cropped up like a headache for the government and the RSS since NDA government came into power is “people, claiming proximity to the RSS, who have been trying to work their way up or just throwing their weight around with the government. There is a feeling there should be mechanism to check antecedents of such people,” an RSS insider said.
The meeting is of significant importance as such comprehensive meeting is being held after two years—the last one took place in September 2013, before Modi’s candidature as the prime minister was endorsed. In between, Sangh and the BJP had held coordination meets, but those were smaller in nature. According to sources, the last meeting between the two was held in March this year.
The current meeting is also being held to give impetus to programmes being carried out by the RSS. The RSS would hold its annual pratinidhi sabha meet in Nagpur in March next to take stock of the work done during this year. Preparations for RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhaya’s centenary birth celebrations starting next month will also be planned.