KOZHIKODE: For the first time after the post-Emergency general elections in 1977, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the state is actively campaigning for a change of the present dispensation at the Centre, which ‘has compromised on national security’, among other things.
The Sangh has formed squads to ensure that all sympathisers of the organisation cast their votes without fail in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. One RSS worker has been given charge of 50 voters and he will personally monitor the voting on April 10.
“The Sangh cadres will check at 10am itself to see those who have not voted. They will be contacted by our workers personally or over phone,” P Gopalankutty, prantha karyavahak of the RSS told TOI.
But the RSS is not organising meetings, conventions or processions as part of the election campaign. “Our work is confined to door-to-door canvassing of votes for Narendra Modi. Though it cannot be construed as a pro-BJP stand, we have found out that there are many people in the CPM and Congress who are inclined towards Modi. We could make entry into areas which were hostile towards us in the past,”Gopalankutty said.
The RSS leader claimed that the organisation has enrolled 80,000 new voters this time as part of the direction from sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagawat. “We have also exhorted the people not to shy away from casting votes. Many feel voting is an exercise in futility. We want people to bring about change by casting their votes,” he said.
Gopalankutty said the RSS feels that a leader like Modi, who is known for his fighting spirit, was the need of the hour as the country was passing through a critical phase. “Our national security is in danger. The government has failed to act even when our soldiers were beheaded by thePakistan army. Modi has proved that he was an efficient ruler even in the face of strong criticism from his rivals,” he said.