RSS chief Bhagwat,Rajnath Singh to visit Jammu

Both Bhagwat and Rajnath Singh will address a gathering comprising intellectuals,professionals and even political activists at Jammu University’s General Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu on Tuesday – the martyrdom day of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Their arrival follows reiteration by BJP president Rajnath Singh that there was no question of the party distancing itself from Hindutva. While Bhagwat’s is the first ever visit to Jammu Kashmir as RSS chief,Rajnath Singh will also come to Jammu for the first time after BJP’s rout during the last Lok Sabha polls in the state where it had romped home 11 seats during the assembly polls held earlier.

The gathering – Rashtriya Jagran Sabha(meeting for national awakening),form part of a national seminar on security of northern frontier and national integration,being organised by Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Research Foundation. Bhagwat’s speech will be web-cast to swayamsewaks (RSS activists) in Europe,US and some Asian countries as well,according to local organizers.

Other than Bhawat and Rajnath,those attending the seminar will include senior BJP leader Kaidar Nath Sahni,besides former Director General of Punjab Police,KPS Gill,former Ambassador and visiting professor of Jamia Milia Islamia University,TCA Rangachari,T Stobdan,senior fellow Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses,Lt.General (retd) M.C. Bhandari,ex-BGGS 15 Corps,and Thupstan Chewang – a well known Buddhist leader and president of Ladakh UT Morcha.

The seminar,according to Ramesh Sabherwal,president of Jammu chapter of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Research Foundation,is spread over to three sessions,which will be attended by intellectuals,professionals and academicians. On the occasion,speakers will talk on issues ranging from India’s Afghan and Kashmir policy to Jammu Kashmir and national security vis-à-vis challenges within.

The third session will be followed by a national awakening meeting which will be addressed by both RSS and the BJP chief. The occasion will be presided over by Thupstan Chewang,a well known leader of Ladakh Buddhists who are already insisting for Union Territory status to Ladakh so as to bring to end the so called hegemony of Kashmiri rulers over the region.