Changes in RSS top brass
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 20: Strictly sticking to its principle that the people holding public offices should demit them before attaining age of 75, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) today made top organizational changes electing Dattatreya Hosabale as its new Sarkaryavah (general secretary), appointing two new joint general secretaries (Seh Karyavah) including Arun Kumar former Prant Pracharak of J&K and Ram Dutt Chakradhar incharge Sangh’s Bihar Unit besides bringing former BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav back in its fold.
Hosabale, who was Sah Sarkarivah of the Sangh since 2009 was elected as its general secretary in the Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) i.e the National Executive meeting of RSS — the highest decision making body of the Sangh which started at Bengaluru on Friday.
As RSS Sar Kariyavah, 65 year old Hosabale will now be its executive head and the defacto No. 2 in the organization after the RSS Sarsangchalak (chief), Dr Mohan Rao Bhagwat.
Hosabale replaced Suresh Soni (Bhaiya Ji Joshi) who had completed his tenure as Sarkaryavah of Sangh. Bhaiya Ji Joshi has been nominated as member of Rashtriya Karikarni of Sangh.
Ram Madhav who earlier served as national general secretary of BJP has been made a member of Sangh’s National Executive.
Hundreds of delegates from all over the country participated in the meeting. However, the number of invitees was considerably less as compared to previous meetings in view of the resurfacing of COVID pandemic in the country.
RSS also elevated its publicity secretary (Akhil Bharatiya Pracharparmukh), Arun Ji and Ram Dutt Chakradhar incharge for Bihar as Seh Sarkaryavah of the Sangh (joint general secretary). Dr Manmohan Vaidya, Krishana Gopal and C R Mukunda are other joint general secretaries of the Sangh.
According to sources, the ABPS meets every year, but the election is held at every third year in the meeting which usually takes place at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Both Arun Kumar and Chakardhar , who are in their 60s have replaced Suresh Soni and V Bhagaih who like Joshi have crossed 70 years of age.
Sangh also effected changes in its Samaprakh Parmukh ( in charge of outreach Department ) replacing Anirudh Deshpande with Ram Lal who was joint in charge in the same Department of the Sangh and had also held the post of BJP’s national organizational general secretary.
With elevation of Arun Kumar as joint general secretary, the current joint in charge of publicity, Sunil Ambedkar and Alok Kumar who were looking after Sangh’s work in Western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been made joint in charge of publicity Department.
Ramlal, who has been appointed Samparakh Parmukh will be assisted by Ramesh Pappa and Sunil Deshpane as Seh Samparakh Parmukh. Bajrang Lal has been appointed as North Zone Kshetriya Sangchalak incharge of Punjab, HP, J&K and Ladakh.
Born in 1954 Hosabale’s family has a long association with RSS. He is a Swayamsevak since 1968 and has held various important posts in Sangh since then.
Arun Kumar, joint general secretary has earlier served as Prant Pracharak of J&K and remained associated with the erstwhile State for a long time while Ram Madhav was also associated with J&K as Sangh activist and as BJP national general secretary he was incharge of J&K and Ladakh UTs.
Ramesh Pappa, a son of the soil, before his elevation to national level has remained Prant Pracharak of J&K and ABVP J&K president of the erstwhile State.
The two days national Executive meeting was preceded by Karikarni Mandal meeting on March 17 and 18. During the four days meeting of the Sangh two resolutions one on Ram Janambhoomi and another on COVID pandemic were passed by the Sangh.
The resolution on Ram Janambhoomi said unanimous verdict of Supreme Court followed by the formation of a public trust “Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra” for the construction of the Shri Ram Mandir, the ritual for commencing the grand Mandir construction and the Nidhi Samarpan campaign have become a golden page in the history of India that shall also inspire generations to come. “The ABPS is of the considered opinion that the intrinsic strength of Bharat has been invigorated and these programs became the unique symbol of spiritual awakening, national integration, social harmony, goodwill and dedication”, resolution added.
It said starting with the contribution from the first citizen President of India and from Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir in Delhi on the auspicious day of Makarasankranti, the 44-day-long “Nidhi Samparn Abhiyan” has indeed been the biggest outreach campaign in the history of world. Over 12 crores of Rambhakt families from about 5.5 lakh cities and villages have contributed to the construction of the grand Mandir. All the sections and sects of the society overwhelmingly participated in this campaign. People from rural, urban to forest and hilly areas, from rich to ordinary people contributed wholeheartedly to make this campaign a success. The ABPS congratulated all Rambhakts for this unparalleled enthusiasm and support.
It said this campaign has proved once again that the entire country is always connected emotively with Shri Ram. The ABPS appealed to all Ram Bhakts including social and religious institutions, educationists and intellectuals of the country to make meaningful efforts so that Shri Ram’s ideals permeate through the society. Along with the construction of the grand Mandir at the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya, the social and national life inspired by the values of Shri Ram will be established through collective resolve and efforts. This will pave the way for building a strong and glorious Bharat which in turn will ensure the wellbeing of the whole world.
The resolution passed on COVID pandemic said the ABPS of RSS wished to recognize and put on record the exemplary, collective and comprehensive response of Bharatiya society to the Global Pandemic COVID-19 and heartily appreciated the role played by every section of the society in containing the ill effects of the pandemic.
As the news of the pandemic and its devastating nature started trickling in, the Government and administrative machinery both at Centre and in the States swung into action and educated the masses about the nature of the disease and necessary precautions, a massive countrywide exercise of public dissemination was undertaken using various creative means supported by positive approach of media with the effect that the entire country responded collectively to all the stipulated regulations that averted the worst case scenario predicted in the beginning.
The resolution paid glowing tributes to Corona warriors who laid down their lives while fighting the pandemic.
The resolution said ABPS is confident that the Indian society will overcome the ill effects of this pandemic, with continued grit and determination and thereby regain normal living in near future. “We all have to keep in mind that the society has not yet come out of the Corona crisis”. Against this backdrop, the people must strictly adhere to the necessary COVID protocol and guidelines to contain the pandemic. The ABPS called upon society that the lessons learnt during the times of this pandemic need to be imbibed in our individual and societal life by adapting to a healthy family system, sustainable consumption, environment protection and also by inculcating spirit of self-reliance and ‘Swadeshi’ in our lives.
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