Sangh gives patriotic hue to religious event

After sweeping the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, winning 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats, primarily through polarisation and “low intensity” riots in western Uttar Pradesh, the BJP and other affiliates of the Sangh Parivar have now come up with a new design to create a social rainbow in its favour, since caste will play a pivotal role in the upcoming 2017 state elections.One of the biggest religious events, the Kanwar Yatra from Haridwar to Meerut and Ghaziabad, that takes place every year in July-August, has been given a patriotic tinge.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Under the leadership of Prant Sangh Chalak Surya Prakash, almost two weeks ahead of the event, which began in the the last week of July, a plan was chalked out to distribute the national flag and saffron T-shirts to the kanwariyas (pilgrims).The latter carry the holy Ganga water for offering at two Shiva temples — Pura Mahadev Mandir in Baghpat near Meeurt and Doodheshwar Mahadev Mandir in Ghaziabad.“It was not possible for us to provide a flag and a T-shirt to every pilgrim.Therefore, we formed 10 jathas of 150 pracharaks (Sangh workers) each who, attired in saffron T-shirts, moved along the yatra route at different times, carrying the Tricolour and the Ganga jal (Ganges water),” said Prant Sangh Chalak’s deputy Arun Jindal.Talking to The Tribune, Surya Prakash said, “People in crores participate in the religious yatra every year and most of them are below the age of 40. We found they had religious fervour but little patriotic zeal. As workers of a social organisation, we felt duty-bound to instil patriotism in them.”Significantly, the T-shirt had a picture of Lord Shiva and another of Bharat Mata with the slogan ‘Mera Bharat, mera kartavya’ in the front. On the back was the slogan “Ek kanwar desh ke naam”.Claiming that the initiative was a “grand success”, Jindal boasted that they had triggered a sense of patriotism in the kanwariyas. “People voluntarily bought the Tricolour and T-shirts at makeshift markets which were abuzz with patriotic songs,” he said. -To be concluded