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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.

The Education Barons

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Vishwajeet Kadam

Vishwajeet Kadam’s first election to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha came under tragic conditions; he contested the by-polls in 2018 which were necessitated a year before the scheduled elections in 2019 because of his father Dr Patangrao Kadam’s death after a prolonged illness. For this election, the BJP did not field a candidate against Vishwajeet ensuring his victory. The senior Kadam had been representing the Palus-Kadegaon constituency in Sangli since 1985 and has held several senior positions in the government. But his biggest contribution is the educational empire of Bharati Vidyapeeth, that he set up which runs numerous institutes offering varied streams of study.


In 2014, Vishwajeet had contested the Lok Sabha elections from Pune but lost to the BJP. As the president of the youth wing of the Congress, he had a good connect with the party workers and like his father, enjoys good relations across parties. It is said that the BJP had welcomed him into the party but Vishwajeet stuck to the Congress, the party his father had been part of for almost four decades.


Kadam’s journey has been one that exemplifies how to turn adversity into an opportunity through hard work. Born into a farmer family in Sonsal village in Sangli, he had to walk five kilometers to a school every day and became the first person from his hamlet to clear the SSC examinations at that time. He enrolled under the ‘earn and learn scheme’ at a college run by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in Satara and was inspired by the organisation’s ideals and community service. After college, he started teaching at an institute in Pune run by the same Rayat Shikshan Sanstha. In 1964 he set up Bharati Vidyapeeth to provide good quality education. While he got busy in running his educational institute and subsequently entered politics, he continued studying, completing a law degree and even a PhD thesis.


Realising the importance of providing employment and building a large base of support, Kadam set up cooperatives such as a cooperative bank, sugar factory, poultry farms and spinning mills. Over this political career, he held several positions and ministries including the forest ministry in Maharashtra.


Vishwajeet was inducted into the government in 2019 as a minister of state for numerous departments including Marathi language, minority affairs, food and civil supplies and agriculture and cooperatives, which are key to the development of rural areas. Along with his uncle and other members of the management, he leads the Bharati Vidyapeeth which has 29 institutes and campuses across western Maharashtra and one in Delhi as well.


To pay tribute to the senior Kadam’s contribution to education, a statue of Patangraon Kadam was unveiled on Teacher’s Day this year in his hometown.

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