Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has finally backed Anna Hazare’s Jan Lok Pal Bill, there is a growing rift between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political arm, since RSS feels the BJP has lost the opportunity to corner the Union government both inside and outside Parliament with the help of a social activist.
Senior RSS leaders feel the BJP, under the leadership of L K Advani, should have raised the issue of the Jan Lok Pal Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament and should have used it as an opportunity to revive its campaign on corruption against the government, aided by the movement of Anna Hazare.
RSS leaders feel senior BJP leaders should have visited the Ramlila ground to express solidarity with Hazare. In its effort to convince the BJP leadership to support Hazare’s movement, RSS members spoke to senior BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj.
“RSS leaders are upset and irritated with both the leaders of the Opposition because they have not done enough to corner the government. Members of RSS and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have been openly supporting Anna Hazare’s movement and are regular at the Ramlila ground. But the BJP leadership is completely missing,” said a senior RSS leader. The ABVP has started an organisation, Youth Against Corruption, to support anti-corruption movements started by Anna Hazare and yoga teacher Ramdev.
However, after failing to secure a favourable response from the BJP, party president Nitin Gadkari was asked to send BJP members to speak to Hazare and support his movement. It was only after the intervention of the RSS that the BJP started demanding the Jan Lok Pal Bill be made the basis of a discussion in Parliament. “RSS feels a handful of BJP leaders can only speak in Parliament and they have completely forgotten about leading an agitation with the people on the streets,” the RSS member said. The Sangh is also annoyed with BJP president Nitin Gadkari for failing to live up to their expectations, as he has not been able to use his authority as the party president to work in tandem with the RSS. “Nitin Gadkari has often complained he doesn’t get a free hand to work in the party and even if he tries to do something, senior leaders like L K Advani don’t give him much space to act on his own,” the RSS leader added.
