RSS report highlights achievements on tribal welfare, cow protection

New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the RSS for social work, a document prepared to celebrate the organisation’s centenary has highlighted achievements in areas like housing for tribals, drug de-addiction, school admission, cow protection and campaign against single-use plastic.

The annual report 2024-25 of the RSS, released at the ongoing Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sahaba, Bengaluru, enlisted ‘Society Oriented Activities’ which included welfare activities in Haryana, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Central India.

In Andhra Pradesh, cataract surgeries were arranged and Swayamsevaks organised teaching classes for the children of labourers, the report said.

The Vyavasayi Shakha of Gondupalem, Anakapalle District in ‘Visakha Vibhag’ also conducted a medical check-up for 157 needy people and improved a crematorium and opened it for people from all castes, it said.

The report said that in Telangana, the Shri Neelkantheshwar Vyavasayi Shakha of Indur Nagar identified a Basti of a nomadic tribe and Vanvasi community and undertook steps like repair of the sewage system.

During the monsoon, alternative housing and food arrangements were made and efforts were made to provide electricity to homes. A temple for Sammakka Saralamma, the local forest deities who are their ideals, was also built, it said.

“This initiative strengthened their devotion to Hinduism. A house-to-house Hanuman Chalisa recitation programme was also organised in the settlement,” said the Report.

In Malva, the Birsa Munda Shakha of Amkhut village in Katthiwada block of Alirajpur district carried out the work of renovation of a very ancient Gotar Mata temple built in a stone cave on top of a mountain in Mandar village. Now people of the village have become faith-conscious and with the rising of reverence for Gotar Mata Rani, many are now re-embracing the Hindu faith, the report said.

In Madhya Bharat, the 56 selected ‘Vyavasayi Shakhas’ in all the 29 blocks of the ‘Vidisha Vibhag’ conducted a social survey of the shakha area and initiated meaningful efforts to address the identified problems, according to the report.

The ‘Jagran Toli’ of the shakhas selected the problems and made a plan to solve them with the help of people of a positive mindset of the society and the workers of the various organisations.

Karyakartas were assigned as guardians to the Shakhas. A total of 103 types of problems were identified by the Shakhas like drug addiction, low attendance of children in government school, cow protection, protection of the Narmada, work on single-use plastic and love jihad.

While talking about cattle rearing and cow protection works across the country, the report said 1,144 training sessions were conducted at Khand, Nagar, district, Vibhag and Prant levels, with 31,626 participants.

It said 74,468 households were involved in rearing 1,87,466 cows in their homes. As many as 11,640 cow shelters were in contact.

The RSS members also involved 21,469 farmers in practising cow-based agriculture on 67,932 acres of land. Almost 17,767 families are practising gardening on their rooftops, it said.

Last week, while talking to AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman in a podcast, PM Modi said that the RSS – the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP – has played a crucial role in shaping him.

“Through the RSS, I found a life of purpose. Then I was fortunate to spend some time among the saints, which gave me a strong spiritual foundation. I found discipline and a life of purpose,” he said.

PM Modi also showcased the social causes to which RSS, over the past 100 years, has devoted its energy, touching the lives of tribals, women, labourers and youth.

–IANS

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