Established in 1924 to combat British government through an army of volunteers when most Congress leaders were in jail, the Seva Dal had Jawaharlal Nehru as its first president.
Aiming to regain its weakened contact at the grassroots, the Congress has started rebuilding one of its oldest institutions — the Seva Dal which once served as a bulwark to combat the colonial Raj.
One of the prime objectives of the reformed Congress Seva Dal would be to challenge the hegemony that the RSS and the BJP have acquired on their narrative of nationalism and patriotism.
However, Seva Dal's new chief organiser, Lalji Desai puts it in a different way. "Our main aim is to regain the honour and self-respect of the Seva Dal and turn it into an organisation to help in national building and in service of the nation. Our main purpose will be to spread the message of peace and secularism that the Congress stands for. We plan to rope in volunteers in every village and town of the country," says Desai.
The Seva Dal is expected to relaunch its fresh version soon after the two-day national executive on June 10 and 11 where 200 delegates from 32 states are slated to participate. Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to address the delegates on the final day of deliberations where he would go through the new vision of the Seva Dal on prospective future programmes.
Desai, known for his active resistance to the Modi government's Gujarat model on issues of economic and civil rights, was handpicked by Congress president Rahul Gandhi to help Seva Dal regain its lost glory that it had gained during freedom struggle.
Established in 1924 to combat British government through an army of volunteers when most Congress leaders were in jail, the Seva Dal had Jawaharlal Nehru as its first president.
"We have already come a long way in a short period of time. The Seva Dal volunteers no more perform salutes now. In coming days you will see Seva Dal actively participating in political programmes. It will, however, also keep doing its old duties," said Desai.
A grassroot-level activist and former general secretary of National Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education (NAFRE), Desai has already made a roadmap to take the organisation to new heights.
Nation Building
Seva Dal’s new chief Lalji Desai said the main aim of the organisation — one of the oldest institutions of the Congress — would be to help in nation building and be in service for the nation.
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