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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several...

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several questions. While replying to one of the questions, he remarked, “If Swatantraveer Savarkar is given the Bharat Ratna, the prestige of the Bharat Ratna itself will increase.” He was asked, why there has been a delay in conferring the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar, in reply to which, Bhagwat said, “I am not part of that committee. But if I meet someone, I will ask. Even without that honour, he rules the hearts of millions of people.” he added. Social Divisions Bhagwat replied to questions that were clubbed in 14 different groups ranging from national security to environment, social harmony, youth, arts and sports. Whenever the questions suggested or expressed expectations that the RSS should do certain things, Bhagwat stressed on the involvement of the society and initiative from the society in resolving the problems. While addressing the critical issue of Uniform Civil Code, Bhagwat stated that the UCC should be framed by taking everyone into confidence and must not lead to social divisions. In the same way while replying to the question related to illegal migrants in the country, Bhagwat urged people to “detect and report” the “illegal infiltrators” to the police. He also urged people not to give them any employment and to be more “vigilant.” Backing SIR He highlighted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has already revealed the “foreigners” living in the country. “The government has a lot to do regarding infiltration. They have to detect and deport. This wasn’t happening until now, but it has started little by little, and it will gradually increase. When the census or the SIR is conducted, many people come to light who are not citizens of this country; they are automatically excluded from the process,” he said. “But we can do one thing: we can work on detection. Their language gives them away. We should detect them and report them to the appropriate authorities. We should inform the police that we suspect these people are foreigners, and they should investigate and keep an eye on them, and we will also keep an eye on them. We will not give employment to any foreigner. If someone is from our country, we will give them employment, but not to foreigners. You should be a little more vigilant and aware,” he added. SC Chief Emphasising the inclusivity of the Sangh, he said that anyone can become ‘Sarsanghchalak’ (RSS chief), including the SC and STs, as the decision is solely dependent on the work that any individual put for the organisation. “Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra or Brahmin does not qualify for the Sarsanghchalak position (RSS Chief), a Hindu will become the one who works and is best available. A Hindu will become, and that can also be an SC or ST. Anyone can become it depends on the work. Today, if you see, all classes have representation in the Sangh. The decision is taken on the basis of one who works and is best available,” he said. He pointed out that when the RSS was founded, its work began in a Brahmin-dominated community and hence, most of its founders were Brahmins, which led to the organisation being labelled as a Brahmin outfit at the time. People always look for an organisation that has representatives from their community, he said. “If I were to choose a chief, I would go by the ‘best available candidate’ criterion. When I was appointed RSS chief, there were many best candidates, but they were not available. I was the one who could be relieved from duties and appointed,” he said. He said that to belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities is not a disqualification, and neither is being a Brahmin a qualification to become the RSS chief. Ready to step down if Sangh asks for Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Sangh had asked him to continue working despite his age, while stressing that he would step down from the post whenever the organisation directs him to do so. “There is no election to the post of RSS chief. Regional and divisional heads appoint the chief. Generally, it is said that after turning 75, one should work without holding any post,” Bhagwat said. “I have completed 75 years and informed the RSS, but the organisation asked me to continue working. Whenever the RSS asks me to step down, I will do so, but retirement from work will never happen,” he said.

Outsiders Welcome

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Sudhir Mungantiwar

As the clock keeps ticking relentlessly towards the Maharashtra Assembly election on November 20, tensions simmering within the BJP ranks in eastern Vidarbha do not augur well for the ruling party.

Recent remarks by senior minister and six-term MLA , underscore the party’s internal strife regarding the candidacy of ‘outsider’ Kishor Jorgewar for the Chandrapur Assembly segment. While Mungantiwar’s public dissent against Jorgewar’s potential nomination seemingly reflects a broader unease within the party’s grassroots cadre, it highlighting the saffron party’s challenges of balancing electoral strategy with the loyalty of its dyed-in-wool cadre.


It also reflects a paradox: the BJP, in the name of ‘winnability’ is willing to embrace anyone (the induction of Ajit Pawar’s NCP being the most potent instance of this strategy) causing leaders like Mungantiwar, opposed tooth and nail to Jorgewar’s entry, now forced to welcome him out of ‘pragmatism.’

Kishor Jorgewar’s induction into the BJP was finalized after intense negotiations in Mumbai and Delhi over the past four days. Mungantiwar, who reportedly baulked before the BJP top brass in Delhi including Amit Shah, later did a volte face, saying he was changing his stance for the party’s benefit.


At Delhi, Mungantiwar had addressed the local BJP’s concerns about Jorgewar’s potential candidacy while suggesting that a dedicated BJP loyalist like Brajbhushan Pazare, should be nominated instead for Chandrapur. Ultimately, the BJP chose to back Jorgewar, while reportedly appeasing Mungantiwar’s confidante, Devrao Bhongle, with a ticket for the Rajura constituency.


Jorgewar, the incumbent MLA of the Chandrapur constituency, has long been the bete noire of Mungantiwar, the current legislator of adjacent Ballarpur.


The political dynamics of Chandrapur have been reflective of the shifts in the eastern Vidarbha region. Dominated by Congress from 1960 to 1990, the BJP started gaining ground there in the 1990s, with Mungantiwar holding the Chandrapur seat from 1995 until the 2008 delimitation reclassified the constituency as reserved for Scheduled Castes. While Mungantiwar shifted to Ballarpur, the seat was still retained by the BJP in the form of ex-MLA Nana Shamkule, who won both the 2009 and 2014 Assembly contests. However, BJP’s hold on Chandrapur was broken in 2019, when Jorgewar, fighting as an independent candidate, unseated Shamkule.


Despite internal opposition, some BJP leaders see Jorgewar’s candidacy as advantageous, and the central leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is open to importing candidates based on merit. The Maharashtra Assembly polls have become crucial for the BJP’s state and central leadership after the party’s dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.


Yet, the question lingers whether importing candidates will enhance the BJP’s electoral fortunes, or will it sow discord among party loyalists?


The implications of this dilemma extend beyond Chandrapur. Discontent is surfacing in other constituencies in eastern Vidarbha like Katol, where local leaders express dissatisfaction over potential nominations that threaten their standing. Ashish Deshmukh’s apprehensions regarding the candidacy of Charan Thakur highlight a growing concern that the central command’s decisions could further fracture local support.


The BJP’s underwhelming performance in the Lok Sabha elections certainly has intensified the urgency to fortify its ranks, particularly in strategically vital regions like Vidarbha. This sentiment is echoed in private conversations among BJP leaders, where the prospect of inducting turncoat candidates is seen as a ‘necessary evil’ only in exceptional circumstances.


And yet, the pursuit of ‘outsiders’ like Jorgewar reflects a desperate strategy in the face of electoral vulnerability. The need to balance meritocracy with grassroots loyalty has never been more urgent for the BJP.

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