New Delhi (Agency): Situation in Manipur is worrisome but it’s the government who needs to take decisions as the conflict is between two communities, said joint general secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, Manmohan Vaidya on September 16.
Mr Vaidya was speaking to media on the culmination of three days annual coordination meet of the RSS which started in Pune on September 14.
“The situation in Manipur is tense and this is what our volunteers reported to us in the meeting. We all are doing our work but the government has to take decisions for the conflict that exists between Kuki and Meitei. As part of RSS’s work, our volunteers are in touch with both groups and service work is being done for both,” he added.
Responding to a question that how RSS’s evaluates the work done by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which is one among 36 affiliates of Sangh — since 2014, Mr Vaidya quoted a line from an opinion piece appeared in an international newspaper in May 2014.
“On 16 May 2014, the Parliament results were declared. On May 18, an editorial appeared in the Guardian newspaper whose first line was…Today, 18 May 2014, may well go down in history as the day when Britain finally left India. This speaks volumes,” Mr Vaidya said.
He added that after 2014, India is slowly emerging in the world with its cultural identity. There have been major changes in foreign policy, defence policy and education policy which is being looked up by the rest of the world.
“It will take at least 25-30 more years to undo what all wrong has been done,” Mr Vaidya added.
Speaking on the controversy that erupted with name of the country, “India and Bharat” in past few days, Mr Vaidya said that no country in the world has two names. He added that Bharat has a civilisation value and this is why it should only be Bharat.
Commenting on RSS’s stand on reservation, the senior functionary said that the SC/ST people in Indian were deprived of respect, facilities and education for decades.
“To bring them into the mainstream, whatever reservation is there as per the Constitution, should be given. Also, efforts should be done to overcome this social inequality. Rest all kinds of reservations are political,” he added.
Elaborating about main issues discussed in the three days meet, RSS senior functionary said that 246 representatives from 36 different organisations were present in the meeting who all agreed to a point that the role of women is most prominent in the family, which is the smallest unit in any society.
“Women’s participation is increasing in the society, which is commendable, in this context, increasing participation of women under the Centenary Scheme of the Sangh was discussed in the meeting. To achieve the target of having more women participation, we have a target of holding 211 conferences across the country till 2025. So far, 73 such conferences have been organized in 12 provinces, which have received good response in which more than 1 lakh 23 thousand women participated,” Mr Vaidya said.
He also said that before COVID, till February 2020, there were 62491 shakhas use to take place at 38913 places. Sangh use to hold weekly meeting at 20303 places and monthly congregations at 8732 places. After a gap in public interaction during COVID, in 2023, the number of Shakhas has increased to 68651 which are now running at 42613 places. (Courtesy: The Hindu)
