NEW DELHI: With Bihar set for a keenly fought battle at the polls following the Opposition’s launch of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, the RSS – the ideological mentor of the BJP – has reportedly intensified its groundwork in the state to smoothen the pitch for the BJP-led NDA.
Over 20,000 RSS volunteers are discreetly advancing the organisation’s mission at the grassroots level by promoting the Sangh’s nationalist ideology and highlighting how the government’s actions are aligned with the Sangh’s vision of the national interest.
With Bihar poised for a high-stakes triangular contest in a majority of assembly constituencies after the entry of political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor’s newly formed Jan Suraj Party, the role of the Sangh on the ground has become more crucial.
“In an emerging situation where the Opposition-led by the RJD with the Congress has started creating a fake narrative on SIR and other issues against the government, our duty as citizens is also to dispel these narratives on the ground. The Sangh is dedicated to the nation and the people as the world’s largest social organisation,” remarked a Sangh volunteer, neither denying the presence of Sangh volunteers on the ground nor admitting it on record. Although the Sangh does not directly engage in political campaigning, its volunteers, who are called Swayamsevaks, continue to actively promote its nationalist and Hindutva ideologies to help create a favourable ground for the saffron party in the electoral arena.
As part of its nationwide strategy to mark its centenary celebrations beginning this Vijayadashami – which falls on October 2 this year – the Sangh is planning outreach efforts across the country, including in the remote areas of Bihar. A series of public interactions have been planned to deepen the Sangh’s connection with the masses. Topics such as the success of Operation Sindoor, the SIR – whether it is needed in the country or not – and other issues designed to bring about social change in the broader interest of the public, will be actively addressed during the centenary year.
Sources indicated that Sangh volunteers are already active on the ground in many districts across Bihar, including Siwan, Buxar, Ara, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bhagalpur, Kishanganj, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Begusarai, Rohtas, West Champaran, Vaishali, and others. With the aim of educating and making people aware of national issues and interests, the Sangh’s volunteers are reportedly well ahead in their ground-level work in the run-up to the assembly elections.
The RSS has also deployed volunteers from other states – including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and others – to assist in groundwork ahead of its centenary functions, which coincide with the Bihar assembly elections scheduled for November this year. Even in Bihar’s Seemanchal region, which has a significant Muslim population, the Sangh has an organised presence, with volunteers working in a disciplined manner to inspire people towards nationalist ideologies. The entire state of Bihar has been divided into four zones, each managed by experienced Sangh volunteers working in coordination with volunteers from other RSS-inspired social organisations.
This story was originally published in newindianexpress.com. Read the full story here.
