Sangh Samachar
Literacy drive by Sewa Bharati
Delhi unit of Sewa Bharati is going to launch a special literacy drive from February 1, 2006. Under the drive, 1,000 literacy centres will be set up in 480 sewa bastis. Under the first phase, which will be of three-month duration, at least 50,000 illiterates will be taught. There will be three classes in each sewa basti everyday?in the morning before going to work, in the afternoon for women, and in the evening after coming from the work. A total of 1,000 Sangh Swayamsevaks will conduct the classes without any honorarium. About 500 women teachers belonging to various organisations will also be engaged in the drive. Under the drive, both men and women under the age of 14 to 35 years will be imparted education. A unique method developed by Shri Gyanendra Jain for making one literate within three months, will be adopted in the drive. The first phase of the drive will be conducted from February 1 to April 30, 2006.
Seminar on religious demography
Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, Madhya Pradesh, organised a seminar in Indore on changing religious demography of India. Noted social worker, Shri Shyam Khare explained in detail how Christian and Muslim population was increasing in pockets of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh ?The fatwa and Shariat regime in Uttar Pradesh and the demand for a Muslim chief minister in Bihar are all the outcome of vote-bank politics. The growth of minority population in pockets where the minorities have an important say in the electoral process implies a rise in minority appeasement in the coming years. This is a dangerous trend,? he said, adding that dalits and Vanvasis were on the target of Christian missionaries. Most of the districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are either dalit majority or Vanvasi majority. He explained how a large portion of the state comprising of some 31 districts, which is also a dalit-majority area, was fast growing into a Muslim-majority area. The missionaries have been trying to alienate the Vanvasis of Jhabua region and demanding a separate Bheelistan. Dr J.K. Bajaj, director, Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai, Major (retd.) S.N. Mathur and Shri Gunwant Singh Kothari, organising secretary of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, also spoke at the seminar.
Kisan mahotsava and krishi mela by BKS
Gujarat unit of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) organised a five-day kisan mahotsva and krishi mela in Gandhinagar. The mela was inaugurated by BJP president Shri L.K. Advani on December 12. Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi was also present on the occasion. Before the inaugural ceremony five Balram Kumbha yatras containing water from holy places of Gujarat?Pawagarh, Somnath, Ambaji, Shabaridham and Koteshwar?were accorded a warm welcome at Balram Mandir Parisar, the newly constructed office of Kisan Sangh in Gandhinagar. Shri Advani stressed the need for formulating cow protection laws in all BJP-ruled states. Addressing the massive gathering of farmers, Shri Modi said every government of the country had to ensure that the farmers got adequate price of their crops. He called upon the farmers to adopt scientific methods to reduce cost of the crops. He said the Soil Health Card scheme launched by his government had proved a boon for the state farmers. BKS president Shri Thakur Sankata Prasad Singh, general secretary Shri Baba Takwale and Gujarat Prant organising secretary, Shri Jivanbhai Patel, also spoke on the occasion.
Sudhakar Rao Vaidya passes away
Veteran Sangh Pracharak, Sudhakar Rao Jagannath Vaidya, who had worked in the north-eastern states continuously for 37 years, passed away at Kaushik Ashram in Pune on December 16. He was 78. He is survived by his two brothers and sisters. He was unwell for some time. Born in Mumbai, Sudharkarji had been a Sangh Swayamsevak since his childhood. After doing MSc in agriculture, he joined Agriculture University of Nagpur as a teacher but left the job in 1967 and became the full-time Sangh Pracharak in north-east. He became the Zilla and Vibhag Pracharak of Silchar, which then also comprised of Manipur, Tripura and Barak Valley. Later, he worked as Vibhag Prachark in Guwahati and Shilong. He became the Sah-Vyavastha Pramukh of Assam in 1975. He was also associated with the North-east Lok Kalyan Samiti, Dr Hedgewar Smarak Samit and Keshav Smarak Samiti. He became the Vayvastha Pramukh of Assam Kshetra in 2003. He had been suffering from various ailments for the last three years. RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Akhil Bharatiya Prakashan Pramukh Shri Shrikant Joshi and senior Sangh Pracharak Shri Madhukar Limaye paid their tribute to the departed soul in Pune.
In his tribute, Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan described the death of Sudhakar Rao Vaidya as a major loss for the Sangh. ?It is a matter of great satisfaction for all of us that the workers developed by Sudharkar Raoji are engaged in moving the Sangh work ahead with the same spirit and dedication with which he worked in the region,? he said. FOC
