A new book has revealed rise of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) through its various affiliates in Manipur even while “militants killing several of its functionaries”. ‘India’s New Right: Powering the Current Wave of Nationalism and Civilisational Revival’ claims that the RSS functionaries faced violent backlash from militants for “combating drug addiction and extremism” in Manipur.
“While a BJP-backed government rules Manipur, the groundwork in the state was also laid with much blood and sacrifice,” said the book, which documents the rise of right-wing nationalism in various spheres and regions. It gives an example of Madhumangal Sharma from Imphal who was “the first mining engineering graduate from Manipur. He retired as the additional director of the state industry department and joined the BJP.
His grassroots work for the RSS, VHP, and other organisations began far earlier. He would sometimes travel 75 km on his bicycle to the remote areas of his state, combating drug addiction and extremism.
The book said that he was shot by unidentified gunmen belonging to one of Northeast’s many militant groups in 1995. “Imphal’s autowallahs formed a strong information network for insurgents. Undeterred by the dangers, grassroots workers of the RSS bodies continued their focused, quiet work…” added the book
“Since 2014, there has been a significant increase in the number of RSS shakhas in Manipur, with more than 120 shakhas and mandalas now active. Across the Northeast, the RSS and its affiliated organisations ran about 650 educational units in 1995. This number has grown to more than 6,000 today,” added the book authored by senior journalist Abhijit Majumder.
The book states that “there are more than 3,000 ekal vidyalayas or single-teacher schools in the region while education has been one of the focus areas of the Sangh Parivar in the Northeast”. “Its many organisations, such as Sewashram, ekal vidyalayas, VKA, Sewa Bharati, Kisan Sangha, ABVP, Vidya Bharati, Friends of Tribal Society or Van Bandhu Parishad, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bharatiya Jan Seva Sansthan, Bharat Kalyan Pratishthan, Bal Sanskar Kendra, and the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, run educational institutions across Manipur and most other northeastern states,” added the book.
The book argued that the RSS-run “centres are not only cultivating a new generation of nationalist students but also exerting significant influence on parents.