Bhubaneswar: The unfortunate killing of people in West Bengal has irked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It says, “killing of people having faith in nationalistic ideology” in the eastern state is “unfortunate”.
Manmohan Vaidya, RSS joint general secretary, said this while replying a query on the Murshidabad triple murder case in the state.
The organisation had claimed that the slain teacher, Bandhu Prakash Pal, was its supporter while the victims’ family insisted that he had no political affiliation.
The RSS general secretary was speaking following the inauguration of the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal meeting by the organisation supremo Mohan Bhagwat here Wednesday.
Being organised in Odisha for the first time, as many as 350 prominent RSS functionaries are attending the meet from across the country, including the organisation’s second-in-command Bhayyaji Joshi.
Organisational activities, plans for expansion and growth of the RSS and training of karyakartas will be discussed at the meeting, Vaidya said, adding it is a review of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha held in last March.
It may be recalled, 35-year-old Pal, his pregnant wife Beauty and eight-year-old son Angan were murdered in the Murshidabad district which immediately sparked a political row in West Bengal. Police although have claimed to have solved the case by arresting Utpal Behra, a mason by profession.
According to the police, the murder was a consequence of a tussle between Pal and Behra over an insurance policy.
On the Ayodhya issue, Vaidya said Ram Temple is not a political issue but a matter of faith for the people across the country.
The abrogation of Article 370 was also welcomed by him. Vaidya said, it was a temporary provision and the incumbent government at the Centre decided to abolish it as there was a national consensus over the issue.
“Though it was earlier agreed upon to abolish the provision, no government took any step in this regard,” he said.
Vaidya said that RSS shakhas are playing a key role in “wiping out” caste barrier and “forging harmony among people.”
Vaidya also said that the RSS has seen a considerable growth with 57,411 daily shakhas and 18,923 weekly congregations are being organised currently. In between 2010 and 2014, approximately 6000 new shakhas have opened. There has been an increase of 1,500 shakhas this year as compared to 2018, he added.