Bhagwat takes dip at Kumbh with members of tribal communities

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today took a dip in the Kshipra river with members of tribal communities at the ongoing ‘Simhastha Kumbh’, a massive congregation of Hindus, at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad (VKP), the RSS-affiliated organisation which works among the tribals, denied that it had arranged the event, which followed BJP chief Amit Shah taking the holy dip with some Dalit saints yesterday.

“Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad didn’t organise any function for Bhagwat ji to take the holy dip with forest dwellers. The tribals, too, go and take dip in Kshipra freely and if some of them have taken bath with Bhagwat ji, nothing more should be read into it,” VKP leader Yogiraj Parte said.

The RSS chief later also addressed a ‘Janjati Sammelan’, a gathering of members of tribal communities from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other places, organised by the VKP in Ujjain.

Hindu culture has its genesis in the tribal society, Bhagwat said. “The tribals have protected the forest since ages due to the sense of belonging. They have given rich forest produce to the countrymen,” he said.

“The sense of belonging and sharing are the tenets of the Hindu religion,” he said, adding, “time has come that the tribal representatives stood up for them and demand their rights.”

“God helps those who help themselves,” Bhagwat said, citing the quote in English.

Pravin Dolke, state organising secretary of VKP, said Bhagwat did not take lunch with representatives of the tribal communities as was expected, because he reached the venue late.

Yesterday BJP president Amit Shah participated in ‘samrasata snaan’ (bath for social harmony) and ‘samrasta bhoj’ (social harmony feast) with Dalit saints at the Kumbh Mela.