NAGPUR: Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde group), who visited the RSS’ Smruti Mandir complex, were categorically briefed by the senior office-bearers of the outfit that the Hindutva fountainhead is totally against a caste-based census. This comes at a time when, last month, the Union home minister Amit Shah said that the BJP was never opposed to a caste-based census.
Every year during the winter session of the Maharashtra state assembly, members of the BJP and later Shiv Sena MLAs—partners in the government—visit the Smruti Mandir campus and pay homage to Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, RSS founder, at his memorial. However, legislators of their new ally, the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction, did not attend the RSS meeting. Only four MLAs from the Shiv Sena were part of the visiting group.
Every year, RSS functionaries brief the MLAs about the organization’s stance on the country’s social affairs. On Tuesday, the MLAs were briefed by RSS’ Vidarbha region chief, Shirdhar Ghadge.
Speaking to TOI, Ghadge said they were only on a customary visit to Smruti Mandir, as in earlier years. The MLAs were briefed on five points—social equality, caste-based census, Swadeshi, family values, and awareness about environmental issues.
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