Early in the morning I went to meet Madhavrao Ji. His stay was changed on the night of July 2. The erstwhile place was on the main road. Madhavrao Ji was at the centre of all activities during those days. Many people used to visit him. The activities of that place could have come under the police scanner anytime. The new place was nearer to the older one in a lane. The ground floor housed some private offices and on the first one a Swayamsevak family used to live. Madhavrao Ji stayed with this family for the next 15 days. I broke the news to him that the Sangh office had been sealed last night. There was no change in his facial expression, as this was expected some or the other day.
That was his busiest day. From various places, the news of many Sangh offices getting sealed was pouring in. These days, Madhavrao Ji was busy trying to get in touch with various people who had suddenly been forced to go underground. Shri Sundar Singh Bhandari, Jagdish Mathur, Rambhau Godbole, Dattopant Thengadi, Kedar Nath Sahni, Lala Hans Raj Gupt etc. were already in touch. Most of them used to frequently meet him.
In the evening, I was sitting with Madhavrao Ji. Around 5.15 pm, Delhi Prant Pracharak Vishwanath Ji arrived and he disclosed that in the 5 pm radio broadcast, the announcement of imposing ban on Sangh had been made. At 6 pm the radio was put on and in the news, we heard the details of clamping a ban on Sangh.
Madhavrao Ji commented with just one sentence, “Indira Government has paved the way for its end”.
Ultimately the ban that was anticipated for a long time became a reality. The most positive impact of the imposition of ban could be seen on Shri Bapurao Moghe Ji. He was still carrying the pressure of the Rohtak incident (when the Sangh Shiksha Varg had to be called off with the fake news of ban on RSS) on his head and mind. He was really distressed for informing the Swayamsevaks about the imposition of ban, without any ban (because the Police Commissioner had given him this news as mentioned in the part III of the series). Now the announcement of a real ban on the Sangh had considerably reduced his mental pressure.
The noteworthy thing was that the proclamation of ban (on RSS) was broadcast on All India Radio on July 4, 1975. But, the Delhi RSS office had been sealed on the night of July 3, 1975 itself at midnight 12 O’ clock; means it was done 17 hours prior to the actual ban
The noteworthy thing was that the proclamation of ban (on RSS) was broadcast on All India Radio on July 4, 1975. But, the Delhi RSS office had been sealed on the night of July 3, 1975 itself at midnight 12 O’ clock; meaning it was done 17 hours prior to the actual ban.
Time was running fast. Many tasks were yet to be completed. Last night, only one part of the RSS office, that is Keshav Kunj, was sealed. The other remaining portion, which had the library, reading room, hospital/dispensary, conference hall and guest house run by Sri Sri Keshav Smarak Samiti, was still accessible. Shri Madhavrao Ji, Shri Bapurao Ji and other all India level office bearers used to stay in the rooms of the guest house, whenever they used to visit Delhi. Hence, one could not guess when this portion, too, would come under the scanner of the evil eye of the ruling dispensation.
There is a basement below the Conference Hall. The material to be used during the RSS programmes was stored in the basement. Besides the material used in the uniform like half pants, boxes/belts, caps, shoes, sticks etc., iron strips studded swords, wooden knives, spears, Yogchap ( Lizum) instruments, flags, band instruments and also material required for the camps and other big programmes including buckets, glasses, plates, saucers, containers, ropes, electric wires, bulbs, strings, water pipes etc. constituted this. Few days ago, a 15-days elementary training programme (known as Prathamik Shiksha Varg) had concluded. Some ghee containers, which remained after the camp, were also there. Besides this, a large amount of Sangh-related literature was stockpiled there. Tape recorders’ sets and 50-60 tapes containing recorded speeches and patriotic songs and similar other material was also kept there.
Shri Vishwanath Ji was of the firm opinion that we would not require any of this material during the Emergency period when the ban was imposed. It would be required only after the ban is lifted. We should not take the trouble of removing this, even in case the police seal this portion. At the same time, it was decided that no important list or document should fall into the hands of the police. I was entrusted with that responsibility.
Most of the lists and documents I had burnt earlier. From June 26, 1975 itself (when the first time police visited the RSS office), I had started this process. Some of the important documents containing telephone directories, lists of the attendees of the past few years’ Sangh Shiksha Varg and Prathmik Shiksha Varg (Elementary and advanced training camps), papers on which the number and places of Shakhas (RSS units), their Mukhya Shikshaks (in-charges), officials working in the government and private offices, college students, teachers and professors, which were enlisted, had been shifted to some secured place. The rest was destroyed. This entire job was already done by July 3, 1975.
