RSS women activists stage flag march in Shimla”

Shimla: Hundreds of women activists comprising school students form Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh controlled Sarswati Vidya Mandir in down town Kusumpati staged an armed (though symbolic) march in the streets of the town including the famous Mall Road here on Wednesday.

Such processions are otherwise banned on the Mall Road because of permanent prevalence of Section 144 of the CrPc. The male escorts mainly belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Party claimed that they were having a formal permission from the district authorities for hoisting an RSS flag right on the Mall Road near the Central Telegraph Office.

The police personnel present on the site were also seen assisting the procession instead of objecting or asking for any valid permission carried by the RSS activists.

The women activists were then served snacks on the spot, much to the surprise of passersby who were shocked at such a gathering and flag hoisting on the Mall Road.

The activists present in the parade said it is the part of their training after finishing a three day workshop on learning the armed skills for the young girls.

Majority students who were carrying long bamboo sticks, dressed up in white-saffron saris said they were benefitted a lot in the workshop by this Para Military kind of training comprising of hand combat and wielding weapons of different types.

“We inflict discipline and self confidence amongst our cadres by such trainings” said an elderly woman RSS Pracharak.

“But such activities should not be allowed in the main town or especially on the Mall Road that has a historic importance”, said Mr Balwant Dutta, a senior resident who had come to support the “Team Anna” cause, who were also sitting on a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Photo: Amit

Kanwar Yogendra Singh

KY Singh is a political observer and a senior journalist with an interest in a diverse set of issues related to Himachal Pradesh and other mountain states. He lives in Shimla.