Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 19: In the backdrop of the communal disturbances in Nagpur, the Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Wednesday said the demand for the removal of the tomb of Moghul emperor Aurangzeb was “irrelevant” in the present situation.
Communal clashes broke out in Mahal locality in Nagpur less than a kilometre from the RSS headquarter in the city, on Monday evening following some protest demonstrations by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal for the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb on the outskirts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, renamed from Aurangabad.
The RSS national publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar who was addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday was asked if RSS thinks that Aurangzeb was relevant today and his tomb should be moved, when he commented that the demand for removal of the tomb was “not relevant.”
The tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who died 300 years ago which is located in Khuldabad in Maharashtra is under the storm since the VHP and Bajrang Dal, both affiliates of the RSS, had demanded its removal. The demand sparked nationwide protests. After one of such protests that was held in Nagpur on March 17 left the city under communal tension. Curfew has been imposed in the town, which is also the RSS headquarters, and the situation is now under control says police.
Mr Ambekar said “any type of violence is not good for the health of society. I think the police have taken cognizance of the incident and will look into the details.” He dismissed the question of relevance of the demand for the removal of the tomb of an emperor who died more than 300 years ago, as “not relevant.”
Mr Ambekar was addressing the press conference ahead of RSS’s annual executive meeting the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision making body, which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from March 21 to 23. He said RSS is set to pass two resolutions in the meeting, one on the atrocities committed against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the other resolution would be on the success of RSS in 100 years, since 1925 and targets for the years to come, apparently hinting that it had no interest in Aurangzeb’s tomb.
He informed that the executive meeting would be attended by the invited members along with chief of all the affiliates of the RSS. The Sangh was also going to plan for year-long celebrations for Abbakka Chowta, a 16th-century woman ruler who fought the Portuguese as 2025 is her 500th birth anniversary.
When asked whether there has been a decline in the number of people joining the RSS, Ambekar dismissed such claims, stating, “Numbers will speak for themselves.” Speaking about the RSS’s growth and its relevance to today’s youth, Ambekar emphasised that interest among young people in joining the organisation has been increasing. Contrary to the belief that membership has declined, he stated that the number of registrations has actually risen.
“Our focus is to achieve and assess what we describe as Panchaparivartan—which includes family awakening, social harmony and connectivity, civic sense, environmental conservation, and a swadeshi lifestyle,” Ambekar said.
Noting that this Vijayadashami marks the RSS’s centenary celebrations, he added that the baithak in Bengaluru would review the expansion of shakhas, evaluate whether the organisation has met its targets, and outline the roadmap for the future.
“We will also be strategising ways to connect more people with the organisation,” he added. He further mentioned that an outreach programme will be launched to engage those below the age of 40, as well as those between 40 and 60, to involve them in both organisational and nation-building efforts.
