\Samvad

Vaishakha Krishna 11 Vik. Samvat 2080, Yugabda 5125 : 1 6 April, 2023:SM 5002 (For Private Circulation only)


1. FESTIVALS: AKSHAYA TRITIYA 2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT
3. BHARAT’S DEFENCE CAPABILITY EXPANDED IMMENSELY TO COVER ALL FRONTIERS: RASHTRAPATI 4. RASHTRIYA SEWA SANGAM CONCLUDES WITH RESOLUTION OF SELF-RELIANT BHARAT
5. ‘COLOURS OF INDIA’ ORGANISED BY VANBANDHU PARISHAD 6. BMS CONVENTION CONCLUDES WITH RESOLUTIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOUR POLICY
7. GEORGIA PASSES RESOLUTION CONDEMNING HINDUPHOBIA 8. FAMINE FOOD RELIEF IN KENYA
9. CASTE DISCRIMINATION CASE AGAINST BHARATIYA-ORIGIN CISCO ENGINEERS DISMISSED 10. HSS UK - KHEL PRATIYOGITA 2023
11. MIDWEST SAMBHAG GHOSH VARG 12. VARSH PRATIPADA CELEBRATIONS BY HSS
13. BIHU PERFORMANCE ENTERS GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 14. BHARATIYA VANAVASI KALYAN ASHRAM KKM
15. ODISHA TRIBALS RAISE VOICE AGAINST RELIGIOUS CONVERSION, DEMAND AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 342 16. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN MATHEMATICIAN CR RAO AWARDED INTERNATIONAL PRIZE IN STATISTICS AT 102
17. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS AUTONOMOUS LANDING OF BHARAT’S FIRST REUSABLE ROCKET 18. BHARAT'S DEFENCE EXPORTS REACH ALL-TIME HIGH
19. J&K'S TULIP GARDEN, ASIA'S LARGEST, WITNESSES 100,000 VISITORS IN FIRST WEEK OF OPENING 20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN & FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ARTICLE: NATIONALIST NARRATIVE AND SILENT TRANSFORMATION


1. FESTIVALS: AKSHAYA TRITIYA: Akshaya Tritiya (22 April this year) also known as Akha Teej is celebrated on Shukla Paksha Tritiya of Vaishakh. Akshaya means never diminishing, and it is believed that doing any Japa, Yajna, Pitra-Tarpan, Dan-Punya, any buying of gold by people on this day never diminish and bring everlasting prosperity in their lives. Parashurama Jayanti also falls on the same day. Ved Vyasa began reciting Mahabharata to Ganesha on Akshaya Tritiya and river Ganga descended to earth on this day. Also, Sudama visited Bhagwan Krishna in Dwarka on this day and received unlimited wealth.

Kubera also received his wealth and position as the 'Lord of Wealth' on this auspicious day. In Jainism, the day commemorates the first Tirthankara (Bhagwan Rishabhdev) ending his one-year asceticism by consuming sugarcane juice poured into his cupped hands therefore fasting and ascetic austerities are marked by Jains.  -GoTop


2. PROGRAMS OF SARSANGHACHALAK DR. MOHAN BHAGWAT: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat on 31 March said that ‘Akhand Bharat’ was undisputed truth and a divided Bharat was a nightmare. Dr. Bhagwat said that the separated parts of Bharat would unite one day. He was speaking at a function in Bhopal to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter and revolutionary Hemu Kalani.
Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on 30 March said that the 'Sanatan' dharma has been proven true to the test of time. "Today you are taking the resolve to enhance the prestige of the saffron colour by donning it. The one that is 'Sanatan' doesn't need any certificate. In English, they say, "time proven". It has proven to stand true to the test of time," RSS Sarsanghchalak said while addressing an event of 'Sanyas Diksha' in Uttarkhand's Haridwar. Swami Ramdev Baba who was also present at the event said that after 75 years of independence, Patanjali is fulfilling the dream of Maharishi Dayanand, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and all the revolutionaries of the Swadeshi education system.

Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on 31 March unveiled the statue of Veerangana Rani Durgavati at Deendayal Shodh Sansthan, Maharishi Valmiki Complex, Majhgawan district Satna. On the 500th birth anniversary of Veerangana Durgavati, an exhibition based on her life and an exhibition of Millets have also been set up at the venue.  -GoTop


3. BHARAT’S DEFENCE CAPABILITY EXPANDED IMMENSELY TO COVER ALL FRONTIERS: RASHTRAPATI: On 8 April Rashtrapati Droupadi Murmu took a historic sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force in the Tezpur AFS (Air Force Station) located in Sonitpur District of Assam. She said that it is a matter of pride that Indian Defence Capabilities have expanded immensely to cover all frontiers of land, sea and air.

According to a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan, Rashtrapati Murmu who is the Commander in Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for a period of 30 min covering the Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley and got a sight of the Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station. The fighter aircraft was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, the CO (Commanding Officer) of the 106th Squadron of the Indian Air Force.  -GoTop


4. RASHTRIYA SEWA SANGAM CONCLUDES WITH RESOLUTION OF SELF-RELIANT BHARAT: The 3-day third edition of the Rashtriya Sewa Sangam, hosted by Rashtriya Sewa Bharti (RSB), concluded at Jaipur on 9 April with the resolution of ensuring a "self-reliant society and self-reliant India". As many as 2,756 representatives, out of whom 515 were women, from 45 provinces including Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Ladakh, took the pledge of self-reliant and prosperous Bharat. More than 50 case studies were presented for the progress of the girl child.
RSS Sarsaghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Piramal Group Ajay Piramal, Sant Balayogi Umesh Nath Maharaj, industrialists Narsiram Kulariya and Ashok Bagla, RSS sarakaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranand, Vishwa Jagruti Mission founder Acharya Sudhanshu Maharaj and other promiment people graced the occasion.

While inaugurating the Sewa Sangam on 7 April Dr Bhagwat emphasised that all Bharatiyas should prioritise national service and national security over everything else.  -GoTop


5. ‘COLOURS OF INDIA’ ORGANISED BY VANBANDHU PARISHAD: The ‘Colours of India’ event was conducted by Vanbandhu Parishad and Sri Hari Satsang Samiti, Dhanbad Chapter, with the aim of promoting health awareness and sports among children living in rural areas. One of the highlights of the event was the “Ekal Ke Sang” race, covering a distance of 8.4 kilometers, which witnessed enthusiastic participation of more than 400 children, youth, and elders.

The runners were determined to reach the finish line, and their excitement and zeal were palpable throughout the race. To motivate the participants, Ekal distributed T-shirts to all the runners, and certificates were handed out to acknowledge their participation in the race. The top three winners were awarded prizes.  -GoTop


6. BMS CONVENTION CONCLUDES WITH RESOLUTIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOUR POLICY: “Since its inception Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has been raising its voices for the protection of labours’ interest. Being the largest labour union, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has also been awakening people to the Sanatan culture point of view,” said V Bhagaiyya, former Sah Sarkaryavah and member of Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on April 7. The observations were made during the inauguration of 20th Akhil Bharatiya Triennial Convention of BMS (April 7-9) organised at Keshav Sarswati Vidya Mandir, Patna, Bihar.

V Bhagaiyya, the chief guest, said, “BMS is the organisation of the labours, for the labours and run by the labours. BMS is free from all external influence and it has no association with any political party. BMS talks about the interest of the labours, along with that of the country and industry.” Speaking on this occasion, Hiranmay Pandya, President of BMS, said that during the Corona crisis, workers associated with BMS selflessly helped people.
A special session for women was organised on the second day (April 8) of the convention. Two resolutions on ‘Social security for all’ and ‘Contract Labour’ were also passed.
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7. GEORGIA PASSES RESOLUTION CONDEMNING HINDUPHOBIA: The Georgia Assembly in the United States has passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia, making it the first State to take such a legislative measure. The resolution said Hinduism is one of the world's largest and oldest religions with over 1.2 billion adherents in over 100 countries, and encompasses an array of diverse traditions and belief systems with values of acceptance, mutual respect, and peace. The resolution was introduced by Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones from Forsyth County in the suburbs of Atlanta, home to one of the largest Hindu diaspora communities in Georgia.

Stating that there have been documented instances of hate crimes against Hindu Americans over the last few decades in many parts of the country, the resolution said Hinduphobia is exacerbated and institutionalised by some in academia who support the dismantling of Hinduism and accuse its sacred texts and cultural practices of violence and oppression.
A move in this regard was spearheaded by the Atlanta chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), which organised the first-ever Hindu Advocacy Day held on March 22 at the Georgia State Capitol. It was attended by around 25 lawmakers -- both Republicans and Democrats -- who joined the Hindu community to understand its concerns, pledge to create ways to protect the community against discrimination.
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8. FAMINE FOOD RELIEF IN KENYA: In the March month - 900 families were given 15 Kilograms of basic food rations each, by Sewa Canada International via Sewa Kenya and Hindu Religious & Service Centre (HRSC), at Syumile Health Centre outside Makindu Town, Makueni County, 190 Kms from Nairobi. The Sewadars of the Makindu Sikh Temple (Gurudwara Sahib) also participated in this selfless service or Seva.

A local TV channels in Kenya covered this aid effort along with testimonials (in Swahili) of recipients of this aid. Gratitude has been paid to all the donors who helped to raise CAD$ 10,000 for this “Hunger Crisis in Kenya” effort.  -GoTop


9. CASTE DISCRIMINATION CASE AGAINST BHARATIYA-ORIGIN CISCO ENGINEERS DISMISSED: On April 10, 2023 the California Civil Rights Department voluntarily dismissed its case in Superior Court against Cisco Systems engineers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella, who faced allegations of caste based discrimination. A mediation conference between Cisco and the CRD is still set for May 2. Filed nearly three years ago, CRD’s legal action made global headlines, with false claims about the Hindu religion and xenophobic depictions of people of Indian origin, eliciting widespread outrage in the Indian and Hindu American communities.
The dismissal comes just a few months after the Hindu American Foundation filed a Section 1983 claim in US District Court asserting that CRD’s case against Cisco and the engineers infringed on the civil rights of Hindus living in California by unconstitutionally and falsely asserting that Hinduism mandates caste discrimination. However, the case against Cisco seems to be still kept open.
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10. HSS UK - KHEL PRATIYOGITA 2023: This year, Khel Pratiyogita was held in Leicester for both Sevikas and Swayamsevaks on the last weekend of March. On 25 March sevika khel pratiyogita was held with a record breaking sankhya of 456 sevikas, 28 nagars and 127 fixtures. It included Kho-Kho, Ring, Kabbadi etc. The atmosphere was electric and saw many new nagars coming for the first time, as well as many familiar faces who attend yearly. This year’s event was witnessed by many guests including owner of Birmingham Bulls Kabaddi Team and a senior England Cricket Board representative and community leaders from BAPS, Shree Sanatan Mandir, Leicester Police, Brahma Kumaris, as well as the leaders from local language associations.

The Swayamsevak pratiyogita on 26 March included 947 swayamsevaks from over 30 nagars, 96 teams and nearly 300 fixtures played Football, Kho-kho, Ring, and Kabaddi.  -GoTop


11. MIDWEST SAMBHAG GHOSH VARG: MidWest Sambhag of HSS USA conducted its first ever 24-hour residential ghosh varg at Chicagoland during the 1 April weekend. 40 shiksharthis (15 Bala-Kishor, 13 Kishor, 12 Tarun) and 10 shikshaks (5 yuva, 4 kishor, 1 tarun) from Chicago, Downstate Illinois, and Wisconsin vibhag attended the varg.

Participants were divided into groups as per their instruments, including anak, vamshi, shankha, shrung (brass and woodwind), and concert band (violin, cello, and xylophone). The sessions focussed on improving already known compositions, practice of new ones, and combined sessions for all instruments. The varg concluded with a samarop bouddhik and a ghosh demonstration.  -GoTop


12. VARSH PRATIPADA CELEBRATIONS BY HSS:  HSS Munich had Varsha Pratipada celebration on 1 April. Apart from Varsha Pratipada, participants also celebrated the Birth Anniversary of Aadya Sarasanghchalak Poojaniya Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, "Doctor ji" And Bhagwan Shri Ram "Shri Ramanavami'. One of the main attractions of this Utsav was the performance by Balagokulam kids. They recited Shlokas, sangh geet and performed skit on the importance of Varsha Pratipada, speeches on life messages from Doctor ji and Bhagawan Shri Ram.

Arizona Vibhag, USA celebrated Yugadi utsav 2023, with a gathering at the Paradise valley community park. More than 230 members for the local Hindu community, swayamsevaks, sevikas from the ages of few months old to octogenarians graced the occasion. Tributes were paid to Sangh founder Dr. Hedgewar on this occasion.
HSS Dallas & Sewa International, in collaboration with DFW Hindu Ekta Temple and 54 partner organizations, celebrated Varsha Pratipada. The event was inaugurated by the Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer and Mrs Stopfer. The key highlight of this event was that 32 Organization's leadership came together under one platform and lighted the Diya. The event started with 'Shanti Yagna', participated by many Yajmans followed by cultural programs (across 23 groups). This event was like a mela, with a lot of game booths and over 15 food booths serving 35+ cuisines from different parts of Bharat. The event culminated with performance of 'Dhol Taasha' and dances in the courtyard. The utsav is attended by 1300+ guests over 6 hours. For the first time in Dallas, there were so many organizations coming together to celebrate the Hindu New Year.
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13. BIHU PERFORMANCE ENTERS GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS: Bihu dance entered the Guinness Book of world records in Guwahati on April 14. More than 11,000 Bihu Nachoni (Bihu dancer girls) and Dhulia (Drum players) performed a mesmerising show together in Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati, creating a record for the largest Bihu group dance.

Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi was also present on the occasion.  The record was officially accepted on April 13 by the Guinness Book Authority and the certificate of the record was presented to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Speaking on occasion PM Modi said that he had full confidence in the youth of the nation and knew that the energetic youth of our county will work relentlessly to make Bharat a developed country. PM Modi, who was in Assam on a day-long trip on the beginning day of the Rongali Bihu, also dedicated Rs 14,300 crore in development projects to the nation.  -GoTop

 
14. BHARATIYA VANAVASI KALYAN ASHRAM KKM: “Criteria and Procedure laid down by law should be strictly followed in the inclusion of New castes in the List of Scheduled Tribes (STs),” said Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA) in its resolution passed in the Kendriya Karyakari Mandal (KKM) meeting held at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh on February 23, 2023.

ABVKA in its resolution further said that President recognised the list of Scheduled Tribes in different states of the country, first time by Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, Procedure for inclusion in ST list after 1950: This procedure commences with the recommendation of the concerning State Government for inclusion of any community in the Schedule (List) of the Tribe for the State to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, after due examination, the Ministry forwards it to the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for their consent.  -GoTop


15. ODISHA TRIBALS RAISE VOICE AGAINST RELIGIOUS CONVERSION, DEMAND AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 342: Members from different tribal communities across Odisha on 25 March gathered in the capital city Bhubaneshwar seeking delisting of tribals who have undergone religious conversion from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Draped in traditional attire, thousands of tribals from 26 districts conducted foot-march in different parts of the city. Under the banner of Janajati Surakshya Manch, the members of 62 communities then staged a huge rally at Janata Maidan seeking appropriate amendments to Article 342 of the Constitution to prevent tribals from converting to other religions and at the same time enjoying the rights given to STs.

Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu who joined the march said the demand for delisting of those converting to other religions from the tribal groups is growing louder across the country. Tribal leader and former Chhattisgarh minister Ganesh Ram Bhagat said many tribals who have converted to other religions avail benefits as Scheduled Tribes as well as minorities. “This should be stopped,” he said, and urged all to work towards protection of tribal culture and tradition.
Gitanjali Hembram, a woman leader, said tribals are often targeted by the proselytisers for conversion. “In a recent case, they didn’t even spare a person with brain tumor, misleading him to convert to their religion to get cured. The person is now admitted in a hospital in Cuttack for treatment,” she said.
Members of the Janajati Suraksha Manch said tribals usually practice Sanatan dharma and every tribe has its own culture, tradition and presiding deity.
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16. BHARATIYA-AMERICAN MATHEMATICIAN CR RAO AWARDED INTERNATIONAL PRIZE IN STATISTICS AT 102: Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, a prominent Indian-American mathematician and statistician was awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, the equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the field, for his monumental work 75 years ago that revolutionised statistical thinking. Rao's work continues to exert a profound influence on science, the International Prize in Statistics Foundation said in a statement.
Rao, who is now 102, will receive the prize, which comes with $80,000 award, this July at the biennial International Statistical Institute World Statistics Congress in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Rao was born in Hadagali, Karnataka. His schooling was completed in Gudur, Nuzvid, Nandigama, and Visakhapatnam, all in Andhra Pradesh. He received an MSc in mathematics from Andhra University and an MA in statistics from Calcutta University in 1943. He obtained a PhD degree at King’s College at Cambridge University. He added a DSc degree, also from Cambridge, in 1965. Rao has received many honours. He was awarded the title of Padma Bhushan by the Indian Government (1968) and Padma Vibhushan in 2001.  -GoTop


17. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS AUTONOMOUS LANDING OF BHARAT’S FIRST REUSABLE ROCKET: The realisation of an Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle is a step closer to becoming a reality as the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) has been successfully accomplished by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 2 April. At the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka, the trial involved a winged body lifted to an altitude of 4.5 km by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter, subsequently freed to execute an independent landing on a runway.

This is the first time that a winged body has been released mid-air by a helicopter and carried out an autonomous landing. The RLV LEX is essentially a space plane with a low lift-to-drag ratio requiring an approach at high glide angles that necessitated a landing at high velocities of 350 kmph.
The Indian Air Force, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), and Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) collaborated with ISRO to conduct the test.
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18. BHARAT'S DEFENCE EXPORTS REACH ALL-TIME HIGH:  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 1 April shared that Bharat’s defence exports have reached an all-time high of Rs. 15, 920 Crore in the Financial Year 2022-2023.  Notably, this year the Ministry of Defence was allocated approximately 5.94 lakh crore in Budget 2023–24, a jump of 13% over the previous year.  In March 2023, MoS for Defence Ajay Bhatt informed the parliament that “Expenditure on defence procurement from foreign sources has reduced from 46 percent of the overall expenditure in 2018-19 to 36.7 percent till December last year.”  -GoTop


19. J&K'S TULIP GARDEN, ASIA'S LARGEST, WITNESSES 100,000 VISITORS IN FIRST WEEK OF OPENING: Over one lakh tourists have so far visited Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Jammu and Kashmir in the first seven days of its opening.


According to the Floriculture department, around 1,15,000 tourists have visited the garden since it opened on March 19, with over 35,000 people visiting it on the third day of its opening. It is situated on the banks of the world-famous Dal Lake and this year it has over 16 lakh tulip bulbs of as many as 68 varieties. The Tulip Garden has played a major role in attracting tourists to Kashmir Valley during the Spring season.
 -GoTop

20. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Visitors: Suresh Giri - Thailand.
 -GoTop

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Three things cannot be long hidden: the Sun, the Moon, and the Truth. – Mahatma Buddha.
 -GoTop

JAI SHRI RAM
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NATIONALIST NARRATIVE AND SILENT TRANSFORMATION
Dibya Kamal Bordoloi

It has been over 75 years since the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been working tirelessly in the North East for national integration.
Sangh Pracharaks Dadarao Parmarth, Vasantrao Oak and Krishna Paranjpe arrived in Assam on October 27, 1946, and went on to establish RSS shakhas in Guwahati, Shillong (the then capital of Assam) and Dibrugarh. Since then, lakhs of selfless RSS Pracharaks and Karyakartas have worked indefatigably in the Northeastern region, overcoming enormous challenges.
Today, 75 years after its quiet beginnings in the North East, the RSS can claim that it has successfully set the nationalist narrative in the region, which has a large Muslim and Christian population.
As per the 2011 census, Assam has a whopping 34 per cent Muslim population, while in five other North East states more than half of its population are Christians – Nagaland (87.93 per cent), Mizoram (87.16 per cent), Meghalaya (74.59 per cent), Manipur (41.29 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (30.26 per cent).
RSS in Tripura
The tiny Princely State of Tripura has a Hindu population of over 83 per cent. The state has a large tribal population and the RSS started its foray in Tripura by serving this community. In Tripura, the RSS started its activities in 1952 but found it hard to find its ground. The Sangh initially began its activities in Tripura through “Udbastu Sahayata Samiti” and later started shakhas in 1956. But the expansion of shakhas was not so easy.
The Sangh also started welfare works for the tribals through ‘Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram’, which started its functions in the state in 1979. Currently, the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram runs 8 hostels and 6 ‘Khelkud Kendra’ for the tribal people of the State. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were constant threats to the Sangh Karyakartas from extremist organisations like the Tripura National Volunteers and the National Liberation Front of Tripura. This came to a head in 1998 when four RSS workers were kidnapped and killed by NLFT. Even though Tripura is an overwhelmingly Hindu State, the CPI (M) governments made it difficult for the Sangh to expand its ideology of nationalism in the state.
Tripura, with 83.40 per cent Sanatani followers, was ruled by the Communist Party for many decades. Sangh Pracharaks and Karyakartas had to overcome the hurdles caused by Left goons virtually on a daily basis. Many tireless Sangh Karyakartas sacrificed their lives to build the nation-building narrative in the State.
Despite its presence since 1956, things gradually changed only after 2014. Now Tripura has around 150 shakhas, around 60 Milan and around 60 Mandali. In addition, 200-250 schools are run in the state by RSS inspired organisations like ‘Sanskar Kendras’. There are hostels as well for the poor and needy students.
In 2017, when Tripura was still under the rule of Left parties, the RSS organised a mega Hindu congregation, which was addressed by Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat Ji and attended by a number of top RSS Pracharaks. Lakhs of people from more than 500 villages across Tripura and other districts of nearby northeastern states attended the event. The RSS said the mega Hindu congregation was “inspirational” and “effective in every sense”.
“The Hindu Sammelans organised in the northeastern states, especially in Tripura, were inspirational in many ways,” the Sangh said in its annual report in 2018. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad started its functioning in Tripura in 1984. Since then, the VHP is involved in organising and consolidating the Hindu society to serve and protect the Sanatan Dharma. It has been involved in many social service projects and the organisation is currently running 4 hostels for the poor and needy students.
EDUCATION AND SERVICE
Likewise, the ‘Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan’ has been a transforming factor in the field of education in remote and hilly tribal areas. Started in 2001, the Ekal Abhiyan is running more than 60 Ekal Vidyalaya in the tribal areas of Tripura. Similarly, Vidya Bharti, another frontal educational organisation, has made a huge impact on the rural and semi-urban educational scenario of Tripura since 1995. Vidya Bharti now runs 11 successful schools in the state. Besides all these, social awareness initiatives by various organisations, such as Janajati Kristi Sanskriti Mancha and Reang Saranarthi Seva Kendra are working tirelessly to bridge the gaps in the society. Some of the very successful social initiatives are Sarhad Ko Pranam in 2012, Tripura Hindu Malayam 2017, and Maharaja Bir Bikram Jayanti in 2019. Pujjya Santikali Maharaj Ashram Pratistha in 2022 had a huge impact on the Hindu society and helped the Sangh gain more social support in the state. The Sangh umbrella has expanded today in Tripura and in all other Northeastern states, with shakhas, Vivekananda schools, Balwadis, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, tuition centres, study circles, vocational training centres and a hospital.
Dr. Kanak Chaudhury, a physician from Agartala the capital city of Tripura, said, “I have always been impressed by the social welfare programmes initiated by the RSS. In my personal capacity as a doctor, I always try to attend the medical camps for the poor people by Seva Bharti. These types of initiatives bridge the gap in our society.”
THE SACRIFICE
The journey of the RSS in Tripura was never easy in a state run by Left parties for 25 years and disturbed by extremism. Four RSS Pracharaks – Shyamal Sengupta, Dinen De, Sudhamay Datta and Subhankar Chakraborty – were abducted by NLFT extremists on August 16, 1999 from Kanchanpara in North Tripura district. The four men had gone to Kanchanpara to visit the Ratanmani Shishu Shiksha Mandir run by the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram.
Six months later, the Pracharaks were executed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh by the extremist group. It was perhaps the first time in the history of independent India that innocent members of a non-political organisation were killed in a foreign country in such a manner. Even today, 22 years later, the conspiracy behind the murders is been revealed. The BJP government had constituted an SIT to reinvestigate the murders. Apart from the sacrifices of these four karyakartas, RSS workers have suffered many attacks during the Left rule.
SANGH AND THE NORTH EAST
In the 80s and 90s, the Sangh established many welfare programs, especially in education, through the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram in the tribal-dominant States of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram. During this period, the RSS, through its like-minded organisations, began to sponsor the education of students (mainly tribal students) from the region. By the mid-90s, the RSS had strong roots in the North East states. Not only the Hindu society, Sangh institutions like the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and Eklavya Vidyalaya have earned appreciation even from the Christian community for their educational work.
Today the RSS, through its immensely effective social impact initiatives, especially in the education sector, has established its presence in the region and successfully implemented the theory of nation-building through person-building. Dr. Susendra Barman, an educationist of the region, says that when the elected governments did not provide basic education to the tribals of far-flung hilly areas of the North East, it is the RSS which is giving them an opportunity to learn through their affiliated organisations. Giving a chance to the poor and needy to gain knowledge is the best service to mankind, Barman added. https://vskbharat.com/nationalist-narrative-and-silent-transformation/?lang=en  
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