Sangh Parivar outfits plan to protest economic policies of BJP govts

Recent developments indicate Sangh Parivar-affiliated outfits, such as the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, are stirring out of their stupor and planning to hit the streets against the economic and agrarian policies of the BJP governments at the Centre and, in some of the states.

The most formidable challenge the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government faced on its economic policies was from Dattopant Thengadi-led Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and other Sangh Parivar affiliated outfits. However, these outfits have been much tamer in their criticism of and holding protests against the Narendra Modi government's policies.

Insiders complain that the organisations will lose their credibility if they do not raise their voices over issues affecting the interests they seek to defend, such as those of workers and farmers. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's recent criticism of growing economic disparity has reawakened the dormant Sangh Parivar affiliated outfits.

Since then, the Kisan Sangh and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) have opposed the approval the Centre's Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) granted to GM mustard's environmental release in October. Kisan Sangh is now part of a citizens' resistance platform, the Sarson Satyagraha, demanding its rollback.

The Kisan Sangh has announced a farmers' rally in the national capital on December 19 to press the government to increase financial assistance under the PM Kisan scheme and remove GST on agricultural equipment and fertilisers. At the meeting of its national executive in the national capital in early October, Kisan Sangh's leadership had agreed that the plight of farmers had worsened.

On November 22, the Kisan Sangh will hold protests in Bhopal and other districts in Madhya Pradesh, demanding the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in the state should convene a special Assembly session to discuss agrarian issues.

The BMS will hold a rally in New Delhi on November 17 against the harassment employees of the recently privatised public sector undertakings have faced from the new ownerships. It will also demand that the government revive and reconstitute the tripartite committees for labour welfare in the unorganised sector.

However, other trade unions and farmers' outfits blame the Kisan and Mazdoor Sangh for acting as pressure valves on the behest of the BJP governments at the Centre and in states and unwilling to participate in any sustained agitation lest it contributes to BJP's electoral losses.