Netaji’s idea of India differed from Sangh’s: Trinamool MP

Days after a senior regional representative of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Kolkata said that it’s incorrect to say that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was ‘critical’ of RSS, veteran Trinamool leader and MP, Saugata Roy said that Sangh differs from Netaji’s idea of India, and the organisation didn’t participate in the freedom struggle in a ‘big way’.

Responding to queries of the reporters at Kolkata Press Club on Friday, on the sidelines of a programme, Roy said that Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s upcoming participation in a programme on 23 January, Netaji’s birthday, is a ‘good thing’ but the Sangh did not participate in the freedom struggle “in a big way”.

The first president Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was a freedom fighter, he said, adding that with MS Golwalkar (second Sarsanghchalak), popular as Guruji, the stand differed. Roy said that “Netaji was always for a secular India, which RSS is not committed to.”

On Tuesday, Ajay Kumar Nandi, Sanghachalak, eastern region, RSS, in a press interaction, had stated: “Netaji was critical of the Sangh, this is entirely incorrect. There’s nothing one can refer to, to say that Netaji has said something of this kind. Some while writing, have written a lot on this, but it’s not that Netaji said anything.”

In a press statement, issued at the Sangh’s press conference, Netaji’s relation with Hedgewar was also highlighted. “Both Netaji and Doctorji (Hedgewar) believed that a disciplined organisation inspired by national ideology is the only way to India's freedom and independence, so one led the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the other the Azad Hind Fauj,” the statement had mentioned.

On 23 January, Netaji’s birthday, several programme’s are scheduled to take place in Kolkata. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will also be part of a programme where he will offer tribute to Netaji. Bhagwat, at present, is on a six-day tour to Bengal. RSS spokesperson in the region, couldn’t be reached for a comment.

Trinamool wants ECI to define ‘migrants’

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy has clarified further his party’s opposition to remote voting for migrant workers. “Our point is quite clear. Migrants is a very general term. It has not been qualified, nor has it been quantified. Till you can really prepare a list of migrants, like there are voters’ lists, this remote voting will not work, and will lead to malpractices. So, we first want a clear-cut statement from the Election Commission, as to who the migrants are, and how their names will be noted, included in the voters’ list,” Roy told Deccan Herald.