The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has brought about fundamental changes in its dealings with the BJP and the media.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has brought about fundamental changes in its dealings with the BJP and the media.
The new arrangement is aimed at obtaining an objective assessment of the BJP and minimising the element of bias in dealings with the party. The move will provide a balanced feedback, which was earlier limited to only the LK Advani camp.
The changes precede an exercise by the BJP to examine the factors responsible for its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election and carry out changes in organisational set-up. The changes, if any, will be made after the party’s chintan baithak (brainstorming session) in Mumbai between August 17 and 19.
As for the RSS, a group of senior functionaries — sarkaryavah (general secretary) Sureshrao Joshi or Bhaiyyaji Joshi, sah sarkaryavah (joint general secretaries) Suresh Soni and Dattatreya Hosbale, pracharak pramukh Madan Das Devi and senior pracharak Indresh Kumar — will gather feedback on the reasons for BJP’s poll debacle and the functioning of the party.
Each of them will talk to BJP functionaries separately and prepare their reports independently. The reports will then be examined by the RSS.
Earlier, an RSS functionary dealing with the BJP used to put together the report on the basis of feedback provided to him. The new arrangement aims at a broad-based result and eliminates personal bias.
Even the task of coordinating with the BJP has been assigned to a committee of six, including Bhaiyyaji, Suresh Soni, Madan Das Devi, prachar pramukh Manmohan Vaidya and Ram Madhav. Vaidya has also been given the overall charge of handling the media, over and above Madhav.
The changes indicate that the RSS’s chintan baithak may not be a routine exercise with predictable results.
As Arun Shourie wrote in his series on political parties: “In any case, no reform that may have resulted from an inquiry is ever visible. Perhaps for good reason. In all probability, each inquiry has concluded that no individual was responsible. The shortcomings were systemic!”
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