RSS concludes 'All India Pracharak meeting', discusses national, global issues
The event commenced on July 4, with a primary focus on planning the centenary year celebrations of the RSS, scheduled to begin nationwide in October.
However, the discussions extended well beyond the Sangh's internal programs, touching upon several pressing national and international matters.
According to sources, apart from centenary celebrations, the meeting also deliberated on attacks on Hindu temples in Canada and the United States, as well as on the persecution of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
Amid the recent language controversy in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar said that the RSS has long maintained a clear stance on this issue that all Indian languages are national languages.
Responding to a reporter's question on what Sangh thinks about the recent language row 'brewing up in states leading to division among society', Sunil Ambekar said, 'Sangh has always had the stand that all languages of India are national languages. People speak their own languages in their own places. Primary education should be disseminated in the same language, which is what everyone has been requesting. This is already established.'
Recently, in Maharashtra, a viral video from Thane district surfaced where a shop owner was assaulted allegedly for not speaking in Marathi. In a similar incident, entrepreneur Sushil Kedia's office in Worli was vandalised earlier this month. A total of 5 MNS workers were arrested in this connection.
Additionally, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut clarified that their party is not opposed to the Hindi language, but rather to making it mandatory in primary education.
'The Southern states have been fighting for this issue for years. Their stand against the imposition of Hindi means they will not speak Hindi and nor let anyone speak Hindi. But that is not our stand in Maharashtra. We speak Hindi. Our stand is that the strictness for Hindi in primary schools will not be tolerated. Our fight is limited to this,' Raut said earlier this month.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, a controversy erupted following an alleged controversial statement which was recently made by actor Kamal Haasan in May over the Kannada language, leading to agitation in the State against the release of the Tamil actor's movie 'Thug Life' in Karnataka. Hassan has allegedly said, 'Kannada was born out of Tamil'.
Further, on the situation in Manipur, RSS leader Sunil Ambekar said that a phase of normalcy has started to return in the northeastern state.
'When the situation deteriorates somewhere, it doesn't improve within a day. But if we compare to last year, normalcy has started setting in. It is the beginning of peace. Dialogues are being held on both sides, so a path will come out of it,' the RSS leader said.
Last month, Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh stated that efforts are being made to find an 'amicable solution' and restore peace to the ethnic violence hit Manipur, further stating that meetings were also being held with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and NDA MLAs to form a government in the state.
Meanwhile, speaking on the Sangh's initiatives, Ambekar said, 'In the last twenty-five years, the Sangh's work has expanded significantly. Consequently, a plan has been devised to reach most households and villages, as well as all areas in cities. This plan will be implemented accordingly. A seminar of prominent citizens will be held in every district. In the organizational structure of the Sangh, we have identified nine hundred and twenty-four districts, and these seminars will take place in all of them. Additionally, seminars will be organized in various institutions, tailored to different groups, professions, or subjects. These seminars will discuss the main idea of India, the Sangh's vision of Hindutva and the nation, and various issues related to our society in the coming times.'
He further elaborated on the enthusiasm surrounding the centenary year celebrations, stating, 'Preparations are underway with great enthusiasm across all provinces in the country. The main objective of the centenary year is to reach out to people from all professions, aligning with the Sangh's continuous purpose of connecting with all sections of society. Geographically, the aim is to reach people of all professions, ideas, and every type of individual in society. This focus is central to the Sangh's work. All the programs planned throughout this centenary year are aimed at comprehensive outreach, ensuring inclusion in all activities.'
Providing details on recent training initiatives, Ambekar shared, 'In the last three months of April, May, and June, one hundred classes were held at various levels. For participants under the age of forty, approximately seventy-five classes were conducted. In the sangh education class, previously referred to as the first-year class, along with other classes, a total of seventeen thousand six hundred nine (17,609) volunteers participated. This figure also includes workers who participated in Nagpur's development class. Additionally, eight thousand eight hundred twelve (8,812) students from other institutions took part in the Sangh education classes held across the country. For volunteers above the age of forty, including those who join the Sangh later or have pending classes, twenty-five classes were organized specifically for individuals aged forty to sixty.'
Addressing queries about discussions on Operation Sindoor during the three-day meeting of Prant Pracharaks, Ambekar noted, 'The incidents that have taken place in the country, situation in society right now and other issues were discussed in detail. We received feedback regarding the zeal for it (Operation Sindoor) in different sections of society, like how terrorist attacks were responded to.'
The meeting also touched upon the current political climate in India. Discussions were held on how to reduce caste and linguistic divides caused by political polarisation and to strengthen the social fabric. Emphasis was laid on promoting social harmony.
The meeting saw participation from RSS pracharaks from all 11 zones and 46 provinces. RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale led it.
The RSS will complete 100 years of its establishment on Vijayadashami this year. To mark this milestone, celebrations will begin on August 26 with a lecture series by RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, which will take place in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata.
For its centenary year, the RSS has set a goal to reach every block in every state across the country. The organisation considers its local branches (shakhas) its greatest strength and aims to increase the number of shakhas to over one lakh this year. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Preet Rai: I survived the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Forty years later, I still remember the fire — and the kindness
Forty years ago, in the streets of Delhi, I faced something I never imagined possible. As a young man preparing for my chartered accountant exams, I narrowly survived one of the darkest chapters in modern Indian history: the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. Today, living in B.C., I feel compelled to share this personal story. It's not just about survival, but also about the responsibility to remember, reflect and remind the next generation of the perils of unchecked hatred. On Oct. 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. What followed was organized violence. For days, mobs stormed through Delhi, targeting Sikhs. Thousands were killed, homes and businesses were looted and burned, and families were torn apart. I was hidden by Hindu friends who risked their own lives to protect me. Without their courage, I wouldn't be here today. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. There were no mobile phones, no social media — only whispers and rumours. I remember watching from a rooftop as flames consumed neighbourhoods. I saw people dragged from buses and trains, beaten and burned. I saw humanity at its worst and, in small, precious acts, at its best. My family was scattered across northern India. My mother, a teacher, was returning from a school trip in Himachal Pradesh with Sikh children disguised as girls to escape detection. My sister was stranded with a basketball team in another state. My father, an army officer posted in Jammu, managed to protect his region from violence. But he couldn't shield us all. For days, none of us knew who was alive. Eventually, I made it to Chandigarh by train, hiding my identity. The journey was six hours, but it felt like an eternity. Every footstep in the corridor could have meant death. When I finally saw my uncle waiting at the station, it was the first time I felt safe. After the riots, I returned to Delhi. But it wasn't the same. The dhaba I once visited daily was gone — its owner killed, his family missing. On buses, people stared. The city, once vibrant and familiar, felt cold and alien. Why share this now? Because memory fades, but the consequences of forgetting are dangerous. We live in a country that values multiculturalism and inclusion, but those values require vigilance. Hatred doesn't need much to ignite. Today, I see echoes of that past when communities are pitted against each other, when online misinformation spreads unchecked, when silence follows injustice. That is why I speak up — not out of anger, but out of duty. I urge young Canadians: engage with your community, volunteer, speak up when you see injustice. Support those who are vulnerable. Join boards, councils, advocacy groups. Be present. Because the line of people asking for their own blessing is long. The line of those asking for the community's blessing is short. And if the community is blessed, so are you. We owe it to the past to remember. We owe it to the future to act. Preet Rai is a resident of Abbotsford. He is a survivor of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and works for the provincial government in the Finance Ministry and has been a school trustee in Abbotsford for six terms since 2008.
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Cision Canada
Statement by Prime Minister Carney to mark 42 years since Black July Français
OTTAWA, ON, July 23, 2025 /CNW/ - "Forty-two years ago, an anti-Tamil pogrom erupted in Sri Lanka, leaving thousands dead, families shattered, and countless others forced to flee. Black July remains a tragic chapter in Sri Lanka's history. Driven by the advocacy of Tamil-Canadians, Canada implemented a Special Measures program in 1983 to welcome more than 1,800 Tamils fleeing persecution, and in 2022, the Parliament of Canada unanimously declared May 18 Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day – an enduring commitment to truth, justice, and accountability. Canada stands with Tamil-Canadians in remembering the victims and survivors of these atrocities. On this solemn day, we honour the lives lost and affirm our work to build a world with meaningful justice and accountability." This document is also available at
Global News
15-07-2025
- Global News
Public safety minister's statement on letters supporting man deemed terror group member
Statement from the office of Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree on July 14 in response to questions about two letters the MP wrote to the Canada Border Services Agency in 2016 and 2023 in support of Senthuran Selvakumaran, a Sri Lankan citizen who had applied to immigrate to Canada but was denied on the grounds he had been a member of the Tamil Tigers. It would be inappropriate to comment on any specific matters that remain before the courts. That said, there are important matters to clarify. As Minister, I have never sent a letter seeking Ministerial relief in an immigration matter. When I was appointed Minister in July 2023, I instructed my constituency staff to no longer provide such letters. The letters in question here date from before I entered Cabinet. Some important context on that. My office in Scarborough-Guildwood-Rouge Park handles hundreds of immigration matters annually, over 9,000 since I was elected in 2015. That is the nature of representing a diverse riding in the country's largest city. That a constituent, a Canadian citizen, with a Canadian child, would want to reunite her family in Canada is not unusual. And we have created processes by which people can challenge administrative decisions. MPs from all parties provide letters of support for constituents as a routine matter. As a Tamil Canadian, active for decades in my community, I have faced innuendo and whisper campaigns that question my allegiances to Canada. Those are scurrilous and wrong. I am a proud Canadian and proud of my Tamil heritage. I denounce terrorism in all its forms. I decided one way to deal with these allegations was to recuse myself from any decisions related to the listing process under the Anti-Terrorism Act for the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), or the World Tamil Organization. In the discharge of my duties as Minister, I cannot, and will not, make decisions on any matter wherein I advocated for a constituent. This includes Ministerial relief and stays of removals. And I have already placed a screen to recuse myself from matters that involve the two listed entities mentioned above. The questions sent to me by Global News infer something that no other Minister has to face: their premise is that I somehow support a terrorist organization and would make decisions that would favour a terrorist organization. That is false.
