Nagpur: Avadhoot Joshi, a 66-year old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker from Aurangabad, reached Smruti Mandir campus on Sunday for a symbolic hunger strike, demanding pension and freedom fighter status for political activists jailed during the emergency.
A number of activists, including RSS workers, members of communist and socialist organisations were jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the emergency imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
The Smruti Mandir is a training campus for the RSS, and also has a memorial to Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, founder of RSS.
Joshi is a swayamsevak, and said he had completed the third-year officer training camp, the ultimate training session for RSS workers.
This is perhaps the first time a full-time RSS worker held a protest, even if symbolic, at the RSS campus in Nagpur, where the Hindutva fountainhead has its headquarters.
Joshi has threatened to commit self-immolation at Reshimbagh on October 15, if the pension demand is not met.
At Reshimbagh, Joshi said he was allowed to enter the premises, pay homage to Hedgewar but not allowed to take any pictures.
“It was disheartening they did not allow us to click a photo,” said his wife Mangala, who was accompanying him.
An officer at Kotwali police station, where Joshi was taken, said they had reached the spot as there were directives from seniors about Joshi’s protest at Reshimbagh.
He cooperated and agreed to hold the protest elsewhere on police request.
Joshi said he was jailed for 15 months from 1976 along with his father Sadashivrao.
The duo was lodged in Raipur jail of then Madhya Pradesh.
Originally a resident of Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, where he was politically active, Joshi has now shifted to Aurangabad.
Joshi’s protest was targeted at both RSS Sarsanghchalak (chief) Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Despite a number of letters, including to Bhagwat and Modi, there has been no response.
It was also due to the sacrifice of numerous activists during the emergency that Modi, himself a swayamsevak, became prime minister.
He could not have become the PM without the blessings of RSS.
Now, both Modi and Bhagwat seem to have forgotten the foot soldiers who fought for maintenance of democracy in the country,” Joshi told TOI, after being released by the police.
He was also accompanied by Annaji Rajdhare of Nagpur, who also identified himself as an RSS worker, and anti-emergency activist who had been jailed.
“I continue to be an RSS worker, regularly attending shakhas.
I have utmost respect for the organization and remain loyal,” said Joshi.
He demanded that every one who suffered police atrocities and was jailed under MISA should be given pension and status at par with freedom fighters.
Joshi said along with him there were members of Jamaat-e-Islami and socialist leaders like Madhu Limaye, Sharad Yadav and other members from leftist and socialist organizations.
He had even joined Samata Party leader George Fernandes in his election campaign in Raipur after the emergency, said Joshi.
He has also met Anna Hazare and and RSS senior worker Sambhaji Bhide, who have assured support in taking up the matter further.
“The issue has been raised by a number of outfits and the matter was raised in Parliament too.
However, as the government remains indifferent, I decided to take up the cause on my own,” he said.
Rajesh Loya, city chief of RSS, confirmed that Joshi is a swayamsevak, and said it was an issue to be dealt with by the central government.
The RSS has no role in the pension matter, he said.
Joshi said he has the support of a number of activists of the anti-emergency movement.
They could have also turned up but did not due to Covid.
“I am already getting phone calls from across the country,” he said.