The twitter handle ‘Friends of RSS’ claims to be “an independent initiative by Swayamsevaks” and is followed by Union ministers and the Prime Minister.
On April 9th a tweet from the handle @friendsofrss captioned these photos as “RSS volunteers helping the police department daily for 12 hours at Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district checkpoint, Telangana. #RSSinAction.” (sic)
A few photographs of men in RSS uniforms and holding lathis on a highway on the outskirts of Hyderabad have now gone viral on social media.
These images have raised several eyebrows with many asking if policing too is now outsourced and questioning who authorised RSS to do this job.
Reacting to it Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat, under whose jurisdiction the RSS volunteers were seen checking vehicles and asking for ID cards from motorists, confirmed the authenticity of the photographs and the incident.
[splco_quote]He added “We received some photographs from Bhongir the day before yesterday (Thursday). We have enquired and confirmed that they (RSS members) came to volunteer. Our people politely told them that we can do our duty and they can do their job.” He said the RSS volunteers have not turned up at the checkpoint on Friday and Saturday as advised. “This is the job of the police and we can do it. No permission has been given,” said the commissioner. [/splco_quote]
However no FIRs been registered against the RSS volunteers who violated the 144 order and assembled in group with hand lathis .
Ayush Nadimpalli, Telangana RSS Prant Prachaar Pramukh, said RSS volunteers had tied up for volunteering with the local police but some people have raised objection due to which the police are under pressure. “It is nothing negative. It came on social media. That’s all,” he added.
Having understood the fact that many started questioning the authority of RSS ., Sri Kacham Ramesh Prant Karyavah ( State Secretary ) of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Telangana has said
[splco_quote]” The current news in some sections of media and social media alluding that Sangh swayamsevaks are checking ID cards in Telangana is false and motivated by narrow and vested interests. RSS swayamsevaks do not interfere with the work of the administration and perform activities only after getting proper and full concurrence from the local administration.”[/splco_quote]
RSS is an organisation that has been banned thrice since its inception during 1930s and it is important to note at the time of Mahtama Gandhi killing RSS was banned by then Home Minister Saradar Patel ..
