RSS outfits concerned over some govt policies

Organisations affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) listed their priorities and voiced concerns over a few policies of the Narendra Modi government in a brainstorming session with four Union ministers on Tuesday.

Organisations affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) listed their priorities and voiced concerns over a few policies of the Narendra Modi government in a brainstorming session with four Union ministers on Tuesday.

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The meeting was held behind closed doors as the RSS has decided not to allow its associates to embarrass the government by airing grievances against it in public, sources said.

Representatives of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) and a few other groups met the ministers for agriculture, information and broadcasting (I&B), labour and power “to iron out differences in an amicable way”, sources said.

Similar meetings will be held with other ministries as well, a minister told HT.

BMS members said the government should revisit its policy on contractual employment and asked that the status of “employee” be granted to anganwadi workers, while labour minister Narendra Singh Tomar promised to look into the matter “compassionately”, sources said. The meeting was also attended by senior RSS leaders Suresh Soni and Krishan Gopal, and BJP general secretaries Ram Lal and Ram Madhav.

While the SJM raised concerns over the government’s growing dependence on foreign direct investment (FDI) in various sectors, the ministers said the approach was cautious and had proper safeguards.