New Delhi/Bhopal: RSS leaders, including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, on Thursday paid tributes to slain journalist Gauri Lankesh, whose death had led to war or words between the political ideologies of the country. Also, making its stand clear on the allegations against BJP president Amit Shah’s son, Jay, the RSS said charges against Mr Jay Shah can be probed if there is prima facie evidence but added that “it is for those who allege a scam to prove it.”
At its three day long Akhil Bhartiya Karyakari Mandal baithak or the “Diwali Baithak,” which began in Bhopal from Thursday, the RSS leadership also paid tributes to former Karntaka chief minister and Congress leader N. Dharam Singh, former ISRO chief Professor U.R. Rao, Yakshagana artiste Chittani Ramachandra Hegdae, Sevika Samiti’s Shrada Ghate and other eminent personalities, along with Lankesh, a known vocal critic of right wing outfits.
An RSS supporter had filed a police complaint against historian who had suggested that the RSS was behind Lankesh’s murder while a complaint was also filed against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his purported remarks where he had suggested a link between Lankesh’s killing and the BJP-RSS. RSS’s joint general secretary, Mr Dattatreya Hosabole, told reporters on the sidelines of the outfit’s meeting, that unless the charges were of serious in nature, there was no need to order probe into them.
“Let those who hurled charges of corruption against Jay Shah first produce evidence,” he added.
After some media reports suggested that the RSS was mulling to allow women to participate in activities of its Shakhas or units, the RSS clarified that the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti works with women. The Congress vice president’s recent remarks when he had asked a gathering of students during his election campaign in Gujarat, why there are no woman in RSS’s shakhas, apparently to target the outfit for not promoting women.
The meeting will see RSS leaders discussing on expansion and strengthning the organisation and its affiliates, review of ongoing progmamme as well as planning for new programme for next three years. Discussion on political and econmic issues will be part of the agenda. One issue that the RSS core group is likely to take up is that of whether or not RSS’s second-in-command Bhaiyya Joshi, who is not keeping well, should be replaced.
Mr Hosabale, while briefing the media about the first day, said there has been an increase of more than 1,600 daily shakhas 1,700 weekly milans since last year.
