In a first, RSS to hold its centenary celebrations at Gandhi founded Gujarat Vidyapith

Ahmedabad: In a first, the Mahatma Gandhi founded Gujarat Vidyapith is hosting a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event on its campus this Sunday. The event is part of RSS' centenary celebration for which invites have been sent.

Confirming that the event is taking place on campus, an RSS official said that a request was made to varsity vice-chancellor Harshad Patel who gave the permission. Despite attempts, Patel was not available for comments. The invite has its address as Gujarat Vidyapith, Karnavati. The saffron organisation uses Karnavati for Ahmedabad.

This holds importance for the fact that in the past the varsity denied permission to those who were known for their anti-establishment stance including Gandhi's great grandson Tushar Gandhi. He told Deccan Herald that he wasn't surprised as "our own people served up the university established by Bapu to the RSS."

Once known for giving space to civil society critical of ruling dispensation, Vidyapith over the past decade has shrunk into a gated campus, like all other top institutions and universities in the city.

Vidyapith is a deemed university set up in 1920. It is located close to Sabarmati Ashram which is undergoing a massive redevelopment undertaken jointly by centre and state governments. Vidyapith, too, has gone through a set of administrative changes over the past two years.

In February, 2023, Patel, an ex BJP media cell convenor, was appointed as its vice-chancellor and a year before that Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat took over as its chancellor. Devvrat succeeded renowned activist and founder of SEWA late Ela Bhatt.

A crisis hit the varsity after the then vice-chancellor Rajendra Khimani and others officials proposed Devvrat's name as the chancellor. Many trustees resigned writing an open letter to the Gujarat governor asking him to not accept the proposal as it was done under "crass political pressure" and "in total disregard of Gandhi’s values, methods and practices." The governor went on to accept the proposal.

Controversy

RSS' Gujarat spokesperson Vijay Thaker in a statement said that "a controversy is being created over the event titled 'Samaj, Shakti, Sangam' being held at Vidyapith." 

The statement mentioned that the event is part of RSS' centenary year celebrations and such events are being held across the state. 

"Years ago Vishwa Samvad Kendra (media wing of RSS) held Narad Jayanti at Karma Café run by Navjivan Trust (set up by Gandhi)...Gandhi also attended an RSS camp in Vardha and praised it," the statement added.