In a first, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) will be holding its annual review meeting in Jammu in July, in order to send a clear signal to separatists that the valley is an integral part of India, the Kashmir Reader reported.
According to reports, BJP President Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as well as VHP leaders will attend the meeting scheduled for July 18-20.
The meeting is set to take place at a time when there is rising unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The time and place of meeting were decided to send out a clear message to separatists in the Kashmir valley that the region is an integral part of India and the Sangh is committed to its unity,” sources from RSS told PTI.
Apart from the Kashmir situation, incidents of stone- pelting and the attack on CRPF jawans are also likely to be discussed during the meeting, sources added.
“This is an annual review meeting of the prant pracharaks (state publicity officers) to take stock of events and activities of the year gone by, and at the same time, draft out a plan of action for the coming days,”RSS’s Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya told PTI, confirming the meeting.
The increasing presence of RSS in Jammu was also cited as one of the reasons for holding the meeting there.
“Earlier we had a small office in Jammu but in the last few years, it has been expanded. Now they have volunteered to organise this meeting. This will be the first major meeting of the Sangh in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
The Kashmir valley has been in the grip of violent protests since the killing of Burhan Wani by Indian security forces in July last year. Scores of civilians have been injured in the protests and clashes with security personnel ever since.