Journos "insulted", told to leave RSS-sponsored women's wing meet at disputed site on child development

Rostrum of the RSS-sponsored meet

By Nachiketa Desai*
Journalists and press photographers from Ahmedabad were invited to attend the inaugural session of a two-day all-India workshop of the women volunteers and office-bearers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a Hindu temple-cum-educational institution complex at Pirana village, some 25 km away from the city.
They were told to come to the office of the Vishwa Samwad Kendra, an outfit of the RSS which operates in the heart of Ahmedabad, in the Ellisbrige area, by 8.30 am. They were taken about 25 km away to the workshop venue, and chaperoned to the front row supposed to be reserved for the media.
The function started at 10 am sharp with the lighting up of lamp by Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel and singing of a prayer in chorus. The mahant was seated on a seat fashioned after a crude throne while the chief minister sat in a small chair next to him.
The two-day meet kicked off on Saturday, interestingly, on what has been dubbed as a disputed site of Imam Shah Bawa dargah at Pirana, a sufi shrine where Hindus and Muslims have been offering prayers for centuries. This is for the first time that a chief minister attended an event at this site.
After a brief welcome speech by the local organizer and introduction of those seated on the stage, Gitatai Gunde, convener of the national coordination committee of all the women's outfits of RSS -- Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Samiti Samanvay Samiti – was invited to give an introduction of her organization.
Before she started her speech, an announcement was made that all journalists should vacate their seats and leave the meeting hall as light refreshment awaited them in the basement of the building. The journalists said they would prefer to remain present for the speeches to get over and only then break for refreshment.

At this stage, Gunde commanded the journalists and press photographers to vacate the hall immediately so that she could continue with her speech. This was around 10.10 am. The organizers had clearly mentioned in the invitation card that journalists would be allowed to attend the function till 10.30. But no, Gunde would not allow them to sit any longer.
So, the journalists left the place muttering, "This is our insult. Why did you invite us if not allowed to report the speeches?" The organizers tried to persuade them to go to the basement for refreshment. But journalists refused saying, "We would rather listen to the speeches."
In about five minutes, the journalists were told to take their seats in the hall. But no sooner did they take their seats, Gunde started admonishing them again. "Why have you come back? You have been told to get out, can't you follow what we want you to do?", she shouted from the public address system.
Insulted thus, not once, but twice, in the presence of the chief minister, the journalists decided to leave for Ahmedabad without having snacks and tea. The journalists and photographers were from The Times of India, DNA, India Today, UNI and a couple of TV channels.
What surprised the scribes was, the organizers had declared the event was being held after a gap of after 15 years, when it had organised a similar event and the agenda of the workshop was on economy. This time, the topic of discussion, they were told, would be purely social, mainly related to related child development – its problems and solutions.
Among those who were to lecture the 300-odd participants, women and men, on child development issues included senior RSS officer bearers Krishnagopal and Anirudh Deshpande, apart from Gunde and the Gujarat chief minister.
---
*Consulting political editor, UNI

Comments

Anonymous said…

Goondaraj

September 12, 2015

Unknown said…

Vinaash kaale vipreet buddhi. Well this is an exhibition of RSS brand of Bhartiy sanskriti (Indian culture). The moto of Indian culture used to respect the guests like gods. They hv turned it up side down.

September 12, 2015

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

On Teachers’ Day, remembering Mother Teresa as the teacher of compassion

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ It is Teachers’ Day once again! Significantly, the day also marks the Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (still lovingly called Mother Teresa). In 2012, the United Nations, as a fitting tribute to her, declared this day the International Day of Charity. A day pregnant with meaning—one that we must celebrate as meaningfully as possible.

Gujarat minority rights group seeks suspension of Botad police officials for brutal assault on minor

By A Representative A human rights group, the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police (DGP), Gandhinagar, demanding the immediate suspension and criminal action against police personnel of Botad police station for allegedly brutally assaulting a minor boy from the Muslim community.

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

Is U.S. fast losing its financial and technological edge under Trump’s second tenure?

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The United States, along with its Western European allies, once promoted globalization as a democratic force that would deliver shared prosperity and balanced growth. That promise has unraveled. Globalization, instead of building an even world, has produced one defined by inequality, asymmetry of power, and new vulnerabilities. For decades, Washington successfully turned this system to its advantage. Today, however, under Trump’s second administration, America is attempting to exploit the weaknesses of others without acknowledging how exposed it has become itself.

Bhojpuri cinema’s crisis: When popularity becomes an excuse for vulgarity

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Bhojpuri cinema is expanding rapidly. Songs from new films are eagerly awaited, and the industry is hailed for its booming business. Yet, big money and mass popularity do not automatically translate into quality cinema or meaningful content. The market has compelled us to celebrate numbers, even when what is being produced is deeply troubling.

Counterview

Search This Blog