While complimenting the Modi-led NDA Government at the Centre for showing “right direction with commitment and dedication” in the last 14 months, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cautioned against rapid migration from villages to the cities in search of “education, medication and employment” and called for urgent steps to provide “these opportunities” in the rural doorsteps at the concluding session of three-day BJP-RSS brainstorming conclave in the Capital on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the concluding session.
The RSS has also called for substituting Western model of development, which it said has failed, with the one rooted in Indian thought and philosophy. The RSS gathering put a special focus on “balancing” “paryavaran” and development in reference to debates on models of developments to be adopted by the country.
Pointing to the rapid migration from villages to the cities in search of “education, medication and employment”, the RSS maintained that there was an urgent need to provide these opportunities in the rural regions of the country.
The Sangh Parivar took a firm stand against “commercialisation of education” and told the Government to make it “affordable”. The RSS said it discussed possibility and ways to make 100 per cent literacy in the country in four to five years.
The marathon meeting of Sangh and its affiliates at RsMadhyanchal BhawanRs in South-West Delhi was joined by all the heavyweights of the Modi Cabinet and top BJP leaders. The meet deliberated upon the economic, social, political and national security issues with “inputs” coming from both the sides.
The Prime Minister drove to the venue at the fag-end of discussions on the third and last day of the sitting on Friday evening. The meeting was chaired by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya said the meeting discussed all the subjects relating to unity and integrity of the country and external security on which “we are sensitive”. He said ways of enhancing “capabilities” in areas of security to respond to cross border terrorism and Maoist violence came up during the meet.
Speaking to newspersons (a little before Modi reached the venue), Dattatreya said migration from rural areas was increasing and ways should be found to provide opportunities for education, health and employment at the rural door-steps to prevent movement to the cities. He said education in the country should be based in “Indian thinking and philosophy “and be “affordable”. He spoke against the commercialisation of education.
He said the Central Government was moving in the right direction with commitment and dedication and rejected the Congress criticism that it was acting like a Rsremote control’. “What the Congress says we need not reply. They were run on remote control. So they have no moral right to talk about us,” he said.
The RSS leader said the Sangh was not reviewing the Government’s performance but was only giving “inputs” to Ministers, who are swayamsevaks, and it has a right to do so.”There cannot be 100 per cent satisfaction for everyone,” he said.
“We are not reviewing nor are we giving any message to the Government. We are only sharing inputs,” he said answering questions.
Rejecting criticism that RSS was giving directions to the Government and Ministers were violating the oath of secrecy by reporting to the RSS, he said, “We are not an illegal organisation. We are also citizens of the country. We have every right to ask Ministers, who are also swayamsevaks. Where is the question of secrecy. Swayamsevaks have become ministers.”
To a question, Hosabale said the RSS would wait for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as per government’s time-table as the issue was pending before the Supreme Court.
Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Manohar Parrikar, Venkaiah Naidu, JP Nadda, Smiriti Irani and Anant Kumar were among Union Ministers as also Party President Amit Shah who attended the deliberations where they spoke about the measures taken by them in relation to the issues raised by the RSS and its affiliates.