Raipur: Former Union minister and veteran tribal (Janjati) leader Arvind Netam has said that he accepted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) invitation to attend its prestigious ‘Karyakarta Vikas Varg Samapan Samaroh’ to reduce the “ideological differences” between RSS and tribals.
Netam a former minister in the late Prime Minister Indira Gandi’s cabinet has been invited as the chief guest at the RSS ‘Karyakarta Vikas Varg Dwitiya Samapan Samaroh’ — the closing ceremony of the final phase of Sangh’s volunteer training camp in Nagpur on June 5.
Interacting with media personnel in Jagdalpur on Sunday, Netam expressed surprise over the invitation, quoting “I was myself surprised when I got the invitation from RSS.”
He said that it’s necessary to convince the Sangh about the problems faced by people of the tribal community. He noted that he had long discussions with RSS officials on several occasions even before.
“I want strong communication with the RSS to make them understand tribal issues. The biggest issue right now in Bastar is conversion. I believe if the RSS supports us, then the BJP government will pay heed to our demands. We are the ones who first invited RSS leaders to our tribal event in December last year. Also, months ago, I met Mohan Bhagwat in Raipur and discussed tribal issues,” Netam said.
Netam emphasised that it is necessary to ‘reduce ideological differences’ between tribals and Sangh, thus he accepted the invitation. “There are ideological differences between tribals and the RSS. It is necessary to reduce them. That is why I have accepted this invitation, he said.
Netam also criticised the Chhattisgarh unit of the Congress, which expressed surprise over his acceptance of invitation and stressed that its natural to engage with those involved in ideological debates.
“On what grounds are they commenting on my decision? The state Congress unit is neck deep in corruption. Are they working for the upliftment of the nation? Had they been doing so, I would have gone with them, too. I will naturally engage with those who are involved in ideological discussions and debates,” Netam said.
While interacting with IANS separately, Netam noted that “RSS is not a small organization; it is a national and international-level organisation working in the fields of society and culture. It strives for the unity and integrity of the country and promotes our national heritage. I believe it is very important to attend such national-level events.”
Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh: On receiving an invitation from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to visit Nagpur headquarters as a guest, Tribal leader Arvind Netam says, "I have accepted their invitation and I am going… RSS is not a small organization; it is a national and… pic.twitter.com/5eIeDgaCZo
— IANS (@ians_india) June 1, 2025
A former Member of Parliament from the Congress party, Netam was first elected in 1971, he served as Minister of Education from 1973 to 1977 during the controversial Emergency period. He was later part of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s cabinet, marking decades of allegiance to the Congress party. Netam however distanced himself from the Congress in 2023, citing ideological and leadership disagreements.
Earlier the tribal leader from Bastar openly acknowledged a transformation in his political and ideological stance. “Recently, I also came close to the RSS. I have accepted that some of my earlier viewpoints were not right,” he said.
Netam admitted to meeting RSS Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat in Chhattisgarh and discussing pressing Vanvasi issues such as religious conversion, cultural alienation, and lack of meaningful political representation. “There has been a gradual decline in focus on Janjati concerns. I believe the Sangh can take up the concerns to the right forum,” Netam said.
Netam also criticised the Congress decision to censor newspapers during emergency, stating “Censorship of newspapers was a wrong decision by the Congress. If it had not been so, perhaps the party’s future might have been different,” he said.
The event, to be held at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, will see Netam sharing the dais with Dr Mohan Bhagwat. The convocation is one of the two most significant annual events hosted by the Sangh — the other being the Dussehra address.. Notably, former President Pranab Mukherjee was invited in 2018 for a similar event, drawing nationwide attention.
Sangh sources describe Netam’s invitation as more than symbolic, particularly in a region where Christian missionary activity and the associated religious conversions have created deep social fractures.
With President Droupadi Murmu, a Janjati from Odisha occupying the highest constitutional office in the country, and other leaders of the community like Vishnu Deo Sai and Mohan Majhi leading Chhattisgarh and Odisha respectively, Netam’s inclusion in Sangh’s inner events marks another significant steps aligning with the Sangh’s longstanding campaign that Janjatis are integral carriers of Bharat’s dharmic legacy.
