By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh( RSS) which held over 1 lakh meetings, public interactions, social and intellectual gatherings across Odisha in last 10 years to ensure BJD and its Supremo Naveen Patnaik’s political debacle in the State and put a strong ground for the rise of BJP in return, now seems, angry on Saffron leaders for their Post Elections Soft Stand on former CM Patnaik, which Sangha Pariwar believes, could be a potential threat to BJP’s political growth in this eastern State, where it captured power dethroning Patnaik’s 24 years of rule.
RSS which played a key role behind BJP’s political growth from grassroot level to National level , now seems not in a mood to see Naveen Patnaik in a commanding position again in Odisha.
Since BJD has made Odisha a stronghold and undefeatable Empire, RSS had meticulously planned its strategies along with mobilised all its senior Pracharaks to visit remote areas and stationed several senior RSS Pracharaks at BJP State Headquarters’ in Bhubaneswar to create an atmosphere of change in the State, as a result of which BJP enjoying power in Odisha today.
Since BJP taking soft stand, BJD Supremo Patnaik now started directly attacking RSS, which has no political business either way. On Monday’s statement of Patnaik vindicating this argument as well.
Patnaik, on Monday termed the Centre withdrawing the 1966 order that debarred civil servants from joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as shocking. “I cannot believe it. It seems utterly shocking,” said Patnaik when asked about the office memorandum issued early this month withdrawing the November 1966 order that barred civil servants from joining organisations that carry out political activities.
“After Patnaik’s open opposition to such move of the Union Government, it is now for BJP to react on it politically,” said a senior RSS leader.
BJP’s soft stand on Naveen Patnaik is not fetching any results on ground. Naveen Patnaik skipped an all-party meeting, for which Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy CM KV Singh Deo had gone to invite him, while BJD Supremo staged a walkout on the first day of the winter session of Odisha State Assembly citing police inaction against Governor Raghubar Das’s son. Now Patnaik is directly attacking Union Government over a decision which favouring RSS. BJD MPs rocking Parliament’s Upper House of Rajya Sabha over NEET paper leak, coal royalty and many other issues.
Earlier, after the ban lifted, Sunil Ambedkar, All Indian Prachar Pramukukh (National Spokesperson), of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), said in a statement “ ‘For the last 99 years, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been continuously involved in the reconstruction of the nation and service to the society. Due to the contribution of the Sangh in national security, unity-integrity and taking the society along during times of natural disaster, various types of leadership of the country have also praised the role of the Sangh from time to time,”
“Due to its political interests, the then government had baselessly banned the government employees from participating in the activities of a constructive organization like the Sangh. The present decision of the government is appropriate and strengthens the democratic system of India,” he added.
Sources argued that Naveen Patnaik’s aggressive stand against BJP , RSS seems intended towards to keep his BJD in order but BJP’s unnecessary bonhomie may have an impact on crucial Panchayat and Zilla Parishad polls slated for 2027. 90 % of the total Zilla Parishad is now occupied by BJD and the Regional Party too has a strong base at Panchayat and Block levels. Considering this, RSS and BJP’s well coordination always required to defuse Naveen Patnaik wave in Odisha in future.
