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RSS all set to celebrate 75th anniversary

A strong nationalist fervour marks the diamond-jubilee celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh being held in Agra. The high point of the celebrations is the three-day conference beginning Friday where the RSS, established in 1925, will discuss the internal and external security challenges facing the nation along with the economic and cultural aspects.

The RSS is sparing neither efforts not resources to make the Rashtra Raksha Mahashivir (national conference on security) a grand success with 75,000 cadres and others expected to attend.

"The RSS's 75th anniversary is an apt occasion to debate and discuss internal and external national security challenges and related economic and cultural aspects," explained Vijay Goel, a veteran party activist.

He pointed out that 400 acres of land had been acquired from the Agra Developing Authority, on a temporary basis, at Shastripuram on the western outskirts of the city. An entire township has come up for the participants.

The township has been divided into sixteen parts each headed by a pramukh (chief). Each part, called a nagar and named after a local martyr, has arrangements for providing simple food, toilets, community baths and basic medical facilities. However, the fact that none of the nagars have been named after heroes from the minority communities stood out like a sore thumb.

The participants are accommodated in colourful shamianas.

"Our hallmark is discipline. Nobody can accuse us of being extravagant. We will provide simple food, which the activists will eat on utensils brought by them. The emphasis is on orderliness and frugality, which we cherish," Goel pointed out.

However, given the importance the Sangh Parivar attaches to the occasion, the emphasis is on ostentation. The main entrance has been crafted in a tableaux-like fashion. On the top are depicted soldiers celebrating the Kargil victory.

A huge covered area has been earmarked for holding an exhibition highlighting the Sangh's history, its art and culture.

Aware that the event is likely to generate considerable publicity, the organisers have employed the latest communication gadgets, including fax, e-mail, printers. The official web site of the conference is www.mahashivir.org.

"Veteran activists have to contribute Rs 75 to the party fund for the occasion," explained Goel.

Among the RSS bigwigs expected to attend are former chief Prof Rajendra Singh, incumbent K S Sudarshan, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh chief Dattopant Thengde.

In order to impart a secular flavour, the organisers have extended invitations to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Kanshi Ram and senior party leader Mayawati, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Janata Dal (United) leader Ram Vilas Paswan, among others.

"The RSS feels that everybody is concerned about national security and hence extended invitations to leaders of others party also," explained Goel.

Neither Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee nor Union Home Minister Lal Kishen Advani will attend the conference.

"We don't want the participants to undergo unnecessary inconvenience as the prime minister's and the Union home minister's presence would have meant elaborate security arrangements," was how Surendra Gupta, 'news co-ordinator' of the mahashivir sought to explain their absence.

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