Intriguing indeed whether Vaidya was expressing the opinion and mind of the RSS and its leaders in public or like his general secretary Dattatraye Hosabole was speaking his own discernment. Vaidya expressed concerns over the ethnic violence in Manipur due to a conflict between Meiteis and Kukis. Observation of Vaidya attains more worth as he says, “Our workers have informed us about it and the cadres are in touch with people from both the communities”. This comment leaves little doubt that Modi government has allowed the situation in Manipur to vitiate and degenerate.

What a resemblance, in 2002 the senior RSS leader Madan Das Devi, who worked as the interface between NDA and the RSS, had said circumstances were such that it was not possible to remove Narendra Modi as Gujarat CM despite Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s advice “to follow Rajdharma”. Modi cannot be censured for not following Rajdharam in Manipur as the circumstances are not congenial for initiating this process. In 2002, the BJP patriarch L K Advani was there to protect Modi and in 2023 the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat ignored his misdemeanour.

Incidentally Vaidya’s remarks, the ideological mentor of BJP, have come just two days before the special session of the Parliament when the opposition is planning to raise the issue. Vaidya’s yet another remark exposed the contradiction that exists in the RSS and BJP on the issue of reservation and patronage to the Dalits, SC and ST communities notwithstanding flashy claims of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Modi government. Modi has been consistently claiming of doing everything possible to empower this section. Through his observation, which is directly opposed to Bhagwat’s stand on this issue, Vaidya exposed the real character of BJP; "Our society has deprived the SC and ST community of respect, facilities and education for many years." "To take them together there is a Constitution-backed reservation, they should get it...Demands of other reservations are political so we did not discuss it".

Though the RSS leadership is unwilling to accept the peoples’ perception that the organisation is vertically split on the issue of extending support to the BJP under Modi, the narratives that surfaced at Pune conference simply underscore it. A section of the top RSS leaders is confused at the nonconformist approach of Bhagwat towards Modi. The sources maintain though the Pune was the part of the old convention, this time it had the prime agenda of sorting out the differences within the organisation and motivate the rank and file for ensuring the victory of BJP. The RSS leaders are passionately in favour of BJP winning election because all their plans can only succeed if there is a BJP led government at the centre again.

Though officially the three day Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak (coordination meeting) of RSS was to discuss social issues, from social harmony to national security, revolving around five main objectives; environment-friendly lifestyle, a life-value-based family system, an insistence on harmony, Swadeshi conduct, and performance of civic duties, the summit primarily focused on assessing its role and strength to help the BJP electorally and how could RSS play an effective role to mould the peoples’ mood in Modi’s favour.

However the sources maintain that unanimity eluded the discussion. The importance of the summit could be gauged from the simple fact that it was attended by 266 dignitaries and key officials of the RSS from 36 different branches of the organisation. The Leadership wanted to collate the views and opinion of the entire Sangh Parivar, as almost all the wings have been feeling frustrated at the behaviour of the government at the centre.

An insight into Vaidya’s remark would make clear the motive; “The primary purpose of the meeting is to address societal challenges, establish a clear direction, and work with a sense of national unity to accelerate progress. Representatives from diverse organisations, active in numerous fields, will participate, sharing their experiences and insights regarding the national and current context. Deliberations will encompass various topics, and organisations will outline their future plans and objectives”.

As usual, Bhagwat tried to set the narrative of the discourse by eulogising the gains of Modi government by saying that many countries are looking towards India as it believes in inclusiveness. He emphasized that India's role is to create balance in the world and it is doing so effectively. Bhagwat also mentioned that forces dividing society are not only harming the country but the entire world, and they must be combated together Bhagwat in fact called for all out offensive against INDIA alliance, especially the Congress His message was clear, the RSS will be in the frontline to bring BJP back to power again. (IPA Service)