“There is a necessity to revisit laws and penal actions to expedite process of ensuring justice for women who suffer atrocities such as rape and murder”, said Sunil Ambekar, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, while addressing the concluding press conference at Palakkad, Kerala on September 2. Commenting on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape case, Sunil Ambekar, said: “We had discussed what happened in Bengal at length. Our affiliated organisations also shared such cases from other parts of the country. We, as an organisation, feel that Bharat needs to take a relook at the laws pertaining to such incidents and fast-track courts need to be established to conclude trials to ensure quick justice to victims.”
Women’s Safety Is Paramount
The central theme of the baithak was the enhancement of women’s safety and security, addressed through a multi-pronged strategy. RSS has stated that there should be no compromise when it comes to women’s safety. The discussion was in the context of the recent rape and murder case of a young female doctor in Bengal. RSS affirmed the need for swift and time-bound justice in crimes against women.
The RSS has been deeply concerned about women’s safety in the past as well. The legal system and the Government must be vigilant and proactive, and the law should be strengthened, if necessary. However, the RSS believes that, in addition to the Government and law-and-order machinery, this issue also requires societal transformation. Men in society need to view women with greater respect, achievable through proper upbringing. Women’s safety and societal attitudes toward women are now key areas which the RSS will focus on, said Sunil Ambekar.
The baithak also came up with a five level action plan for ensuring women safety and dignity:-
Comprehensive five-level action plan
Legal Measures: The need for stringent legal frameworks and their effective implementation was emphasised to safeguard women from violence and harassment. The focus is on ensuring that laws are not only enacted but also enforced rigorously to offer real protection.
Social Sensitisation and Family Values: The baithak highlighted the importance of changing societal attitudes towards women. Efforts will be made to promote social sensitisation and reinforce positive family values that support and protect women.
Educational Values: Integrating gender sensitivity into educational curricula across schools and colleges is crucial. This educational initiative aims to foster respect and equality from a young age, creating a foundation for a more equitable society.
Self-Defense Programs: Implementing widespread self-defense training programs was discussed as a means to empower women physically and psychologically. These programs aim to build confidence and provide practical skills to handle potential threats.
Regulation of OTT content: The baithak addressed the need to regulate the content on digital and OTT platforms. This measure aims to prevent misuse and mitigate the negative impact such content can have on societal attitudes towards women.
Commemorating Historical Figures
The baithak highlighted the upcoming celebrations of the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar with events recognising her contributions to societal improvements. Additionally, the 500th anniversary of Rani Durgavati’s reign will be celebrated by Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, with support from various organisations.
Bharat’s Development Top Priority
Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar informed that 270 dignitaries including 205 from RSS-inspired organisations and 65 national level office bearers of RSS from 32 organisations, representing their national office bearers including president and organising Secretaries working across the country attended this baithak. A total of 472 Mahila Sammelan were organised in the annual year where 5,75,740 women participated where issues related to women and their developmental activities were discussed.
The organisations that participated in the baithak have a long history spanning 50-75 years. They have a significant public presence and are actively engaged in social transformation within the democratic setup. They play a vital role in the development of the country, often involving students, labourers, tribal communities, and others in their specific areas of focus. Each organisation is committed to its respective field. Initially, these organisations may have taken some karyakartas from the RSS, but over the years, they have developed their own systems and now are working in their respective areas.
In the baithak, each organisation shared its field experiences and discussed the issues they have taken up, their achievements, struggles, and observations. Important issues of national interest, national security, social issues, current events, State-specific matters or alarming incidents in different States were also discussed. During this three-day meeting, various social issues, from social harmony to national security, revolving around five main objectives were discussed. The discussions were held as group sessions and common sessions.
Further, the baithak addressed several regional issues with a focus on practical solutions and collaborative efforts:
Wayanad Landslide: The devastating landslide in Wayanad was discussed, with a focus on preventive measures and ongoing relief and rehabilitation work by RSS-inspired organisations. Efforts to enhance disaster preparedness and response were emphasised to mitigate future risks
Tamil Nadu Conversion: Increasing concerns about conversion activities in Tamil Nadu were raised. The baithak called for coordinated efforts with Government agencies to address these issues and ensure that the region remains stable and secure
Bangladesh Hindu Genocide: The plight of minorities in Bangladesh was discussed. Earlier, RSS had urged the Indian Government to engage with the interim Government of Bangladesh to address the concerns of minority communities. Vishw Hindu Parishad had also called that the heinous crimes against women belonging to Hindu and other religious minorities and attacks on Hindu Mandirs in Bangladesh are intolerable
Kutch Border Security: Another key topic notably discussed during the baithak was border security. In the Kutch border area, several issues have been raised and highlighted by Seema Jagran Manch. They spoke about their work in collaboration with various organisations in the region, emphasising the efforts in creating awareness, fostering cooperation among the local people, and coordinating with the Army
Multiple Complaints about Waqf Boards
Last month, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 8. It amends the Waqf Act, 1995. The Act regulates Waqf property in India. Recently, many irregularities regarding Waqf property ownership have been reported. The proposed amendments have ignited a fresh debate concerning the religious rights of Muslims. On this there was also a brief discussion in the Samanvay Baithak. “The issue of Waqf is quite technical. It was discussed briefly, but not in detail. There have been numerous complaints about the functioning of Waqf boards and their activities, particularly from within the Muslim community. These complaints have been officially recorded and noted by the Government. The matter has now been raised in Parliament, and subsequently, it has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The process is now open to the public, and anyone can submit their queries or opinions to the JPC. RSS-inspired organisations, when and what they decide, will also present their views to the JPC”, said Sunil Ambekar.
In the baithak, the RSS also noted that caste census should be done for social welfare and should not be used as a political tool.
“Caste census is a very sensitive issue, and it is important for our national unity and integrity. It should be dealt with very seriously. Sometimes, the government needs the numbers and has done similar [exercises] in the past. But it [caste census] should only be to address the welfare of those communities and caste. We have no objection to the use of caste census data for welfare works for the betterment of the backward classes in the society. However, it should not be used to create social divisions or to gain electoral advantage,” said Sunil Ambekar.
The Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was organised from August 31 to September 2, 2024 at Ahalya Campus in Palakkad, Kerala. The baithak was attended by RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, all six Sah Sarkaryavahs- Dr Krishna Gopal, CR Mukunda, Arun Kumar, Ram Dutt, Alok Kumar, and Atul Kumar – were also present. This baithak provided a platform for all the Sangh-inspired organisations for exchanging thoughts and experiences, learning from each other, and developing processes and systems for improved coordination.
The baithak concluded with a keynote address by the Sarsanghchalak. Representatives of Sewa Bharti, Vidya Bharti, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Saksham, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Seva Bharti, Vishva Hindu Parishad, Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and other inspired organisations will participate in the meeting.
These 32 organisations are divided into six functional groups (Six Samuh) – Shiksha (Education), Suraksha (National Security), Arthik (Economic), Jan Sanghatan (Mass Organisations), Sewa (Social Service), Vaicharik (Intellectual Activities).
