RAICHUR: The citizenship law may have made the entire country angry and anxious, but there are some pockets in Raichur which are in celebration mode. This is thanks to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which has grown roots here. The presence of RSS coupled with this new law could increase the BJP votebank in Hindu Bangladeshi settlements.
There are four camps in Raichur -- RH 2, RH 3, RH 4 and RH 5. In RH 2, RSS opened its first Shakha in 1999. Shakha literally means a branch in Sanskrit and is the site where the training of the RSS members takes place. Pranab Bala and Anupam Biswash were instrumental in setting up the base for the Sangh Parivar with the help of RSS’ All India Vyavastha Pramukh, Mangesh Bende.
In two decades, the parivar has gradually grown, now capturing the imagination of majority of the people across all the camps. The camps are located at Sindhanur, 89 km from the district headquarters. These people came to Raichur after 1971. Pranab Bala, RSS Zilla Gram Vikas Pramukh and a Bangladeshi settler, said over 95% of residents living in the camps subscribe to RSS ideology, and that each camp has over 100 active workers.
Bala claimed, “The citizenship law, apart from benefiting nearly 10,000 people here, will allow around 3,500 to 4,000 people to come on electoral rolls. Although many people among the 10,000 have lost citizenship certificates which were given between 1979 and 1983, some of them had been included in the rolls earlier,” he said.
Anupam Biswash, another RSS leader, said now their ‘baitakh’ (meeting) is held every week and they hoist the Sangh flag. On January 23, every year, on the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose, Pathasanchala (route march) is held and people take part in great numbers, he said.
According to the 2011 population survey, the total population of the settlers was pegged at 14,000 and now, according to a government official in Sindhanur taluk, it is anywhere between 22,000 and 24,000. The total number of voters now is around 12,000. Ambarish Mallik, Mandal Pramukh, RSS, said representatives of the camps had met B L Santosh, BJP national general secretary, on November 23 and he had promised that all the Hindu settlers would get citizenship.
BJP to create awareness about citizenship law
Under fire from the opposition parties that have called the citizenship law as against the Constitution and discriminatory against Muslims, the ruling BJP is planning a massive nationwide campaign to create awareness about the new law.
According to a State BJP leader, speakers, including those within the party and also those inclined with the BJP’s ideology, have been identified and they will visit all districts and even smaller towns to create awareness.
“It is an effort to set the record straight and put the entire issue in a proper perspective as the opposition parties are trying to create confusion,” the BJP leader said. Next week, the party is likely holding a workshop in Bengaluru for the leaders from all southern states where they will be told about the points they need to highlight so that they can dispel the opposition propaganda.
“They will not hold street corner gatherings, but address meetings of opinion makers at the district and taluk levels,” said a BJP leader. ENS