RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Having Continuous Meetings In Kolkata To Energize Bengal BJP

How far the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat would succeed in his mission to rejuvenate the saffron ecosystem and rejuvenate the cadres in West Bengal, who have been feeling disconsolate and crestfallen due to the intense factional feud in the state BJP, is not yet clear, but one thing is certain that they have lost hope of defeating Mamata Banerjee at the 2026 assembly election.

His meetings with the RSS functionaries in the South Bengal zone in the course of his present stay in Bengal, was quite significant. The participants virtually appeared to be despondent. Though they assured Bhagwat of accomplishing the task of deep penetration in the rural areas of the districts, which have high potential for BJP, they were quite vocal in criticising the state BJP leaders and putting the blame on them for non-performance of the party in Bengal.

While discussing various aspects of the organisation and its future roadmap in the state, they arraigned the leaders for promoting persons with questionable credentials in the party. They also complained that some leaders are also accused of exploiting women cadres. Some time back one Santanu Sinha had accused the Bengal leaders of keeping their posts by supplying women, though RSS just after his revelation had denied that he was associated with the organisation in any official capacity.

Incidentally the chief of BJP IT cell Amit Malviya had filed a 10 crores defamation suit against him, Sinha nevertheless reiterated: “I have just raised question. We did see such things happen in Bengal earlier. I will stick to my allegations that there are some men in Bengal BJP, who are enjoying posts by supplying women to leaders.”

RSS is determined to launch a rectification programme in the highly politically sensitive districts of the state. Incidentally all these districts have been the strong hold of the Trinamool Congress. Even left parties have large following in the region. The BJP true enough is a nonentity in some of the districts and it cannot depend on RSS for winning the election. However sources maintain that Bhagwat’s interaction with functionaries of the South Bengal zone or Dakshin Banga zone, which includes Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Howrah, Kolkata, and North and South 24 Parganas districts, was quite productive.

He also interacted with his cadres from Madhya Banga zone, covering the districts of Bankura, Purulia, Birbhum, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, and Nadia. Politically this region has been quite volatile. Though the South Bengal zone has been vulnerable to high degree of violence, the people of Madhya Zone are more politically mature and active. The reason for this has been the zone, adjacent to Asansol, has high level of industrial workers activities and intervention in the politics.

Yet another factor that has proved to be advantageous for the RSS in the zone is it has huge population of non-Bengali labourers, especially migrants from Bihar and eastern UP (Poorvanchal), who are inclined to BJP. The RSS and BJP leaders have been quite active in the region and over the years RSS has built a strong network of cadres. It is predominance of the non-Bengali votes that had forced Mamata Banerjee to field Kirti Azad, cricket legend, as her party’s candidate from nearby Durgapur.

The importance of the zone for RSS could be construed from the simple fact that just after holding meeting of Madhya Bang, Bhagwat would be attending a conference of RSS functionaries at the SAI complex in Bardhaman on February 16. Besides being a region with high density of migrant labourers from Bihar and Poorvanchal, the zone is highly dominated by the SCs and STs hailing from Hindi speaking areas. High level penetration of RSS in this region would help to broaden and strengthen its base in at least two adjacent states, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Well placed sources maintain that at both the meets, Dakhin Zone and Madhya Zone meetings the participants raised the issue of reshuffle of the state unit as well as district units of the party. The participants from Dakhin Zone narrated how some of the senior BJP state leader created mess and profligate the movement initiated by the ABVP student leaders on the issue of rape and murder of the R G Kar medic. The state leaders pushed their own people to lead the movement, which was eventually hijacked by the Left student unions. The BJP leaders were isolated.

Bhagwat on Saturday met the parents of the deceased doctor. Though the parents of the medic had requested a visit from him, Bhagwat was also keen to meet them. The parents met him at a guest house in Rajarhat where he was staying. Bhagwat during his earlier visit to the state had supported the stand of the parents of the medic, this was for the first time he met them. An RSS functionary said that Bhagwat was shocked by the revelation of the brutalities inflicted on the victim by her parents and expressed his solidarity with them.

Bhagwat also promised to stand by the family as it was “the need of the hour at the present”, he instructed the state RSS leaders to extend complete help and support to them to continue to fight for justice. Father of the medic revealed “Not just one, but the DNA report shows the presence of four boys and one girl. We will feel some relief when the accused are punished.”

After a brief lull the junior doctors are working to revive the movement. But they are not sure how far they would succeed in their mission. Coinciding with Saraswati Puja, they had taken out a rally too. Since the situation is still ripe for relaunching the movement seeking justice, some senior RSS leaders have been asked to work out fresh modalities. (IPA Service)