RSS affiliate organises Tawang pilgrimage

Though India-China relations are not at an all time high, but the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will be holding Tawang Pilgrimage from November 19 to 24. The pilgrimage has been organised by RSS-affilate Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch. RSS pracharak Indresh Kumar is the chief patron of this body. 

During the pilgrimage, devotees are taken across several holy places in Northeast India till the Indo-Tibet border where they perform dharti pujan or worship the land which is seen as a form of protest against Chinese aggression in 1962 and the annexation of Tibet.

Indresh Kumar is one of the most vocal anti-China voices in the RSS and was instrumental in organising massive anti-Chinese goods rallies and symposiums across the country. 

The pilgrimage is set to cover a lot of places in Arunachal Pradesh that has been at the core of boundary disputes between India and China. High on nationalistic undertones, one of the most celebrated destinations in the entire pilgrimage is Jaswantgarh, the place where rifleman Jaswant Rawat showed exemplary courage during the Indo-China war. Rawat was awarded Maha Vir Chakra posthumously. 

Despite China being sensitive about the state, the pilgrimage would go through Bhalukpong, called the gateway of Arunachal Pradesh. Another stop is Bomdila which was captured by the Chinese forces of aggression in 1962.