Kolkata: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is currently on an extended visit to West Bengal, marking one of his lengthiest stays in the state in recent years. The trip has been notably low-key, with only one public rally on Sunday (February 16) planned in Bardhaman – a district in central Bengal that was once a Left front stronghold.
On Friday (February 14), the Calcutta high court granted conditional permission for the event, stipulating that the proceedings must not disrupt ongoing class ten board examinations in the area.
Bhagwat’s discreet itinerary reflects the RSS’s continued strategic focus on building its organisation in the state, rather than seeking public attention, as it prepares for crucial Assembly elections in Bengal scheduled next year.
The RSS is mobilising its organisational heft to amplify the BJP’s reach, aiming to broaden its voter base. This follows the BJP’s earlier gains in North Bengal, where focused campaigns and systematic groundwork translated into a surge in its seat tally.
Top RSS leaders including Sah-Sarkaryavahs across India are currently huddled in a marathon 11-day conclave held from February 6-17 – sessions were held in Kolkata and Bardhaman – in the state. The organisation, however, has remained tight-lipped about specific directives from sarsanghchalak Bhagwat regarding this conclave.
Senior RSS functionaries in South Bengal, however, reveal that Bhagwat has stressed aggressively doubling down on organisational expansion “With the Sangh marking its centenary year, volunteers are riding a wave of heightened motivation. Bhagwatji has urged channelising this momentum entirely to deepen our footprint across South Bengal,” shared one of the attendees.
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The closed-door meetings, insiders say, are focused on executing the RSS’s ambitious “mythical eastern India” unification agenda – a fusion of cultural historiography and political strategy designed to amplify grassroots mobilisation. With the BJP already governing Anga-linked Bihar and Assam, and having recently captured Kalinga (Odisha), the Sangh now frames Bengal as the final frontier in this civilisational reclaiming.
Party cadres are being galvanised with the rhetoric that “securing Anga-Kalinga guarantees Banga’s fall” – a narrative blending myth and electoral math. Anga, Banga, and Kalinga were ancient kingdoms in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent. Anga roughly corresponds to present-day Bhagalpur and Munger districts of Bihar and parts of West Bengal and Assam while Banga roughly corresponds to present-day southern West Bengal and Bangladesh and Kalinga refers to present-day Odisha and parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Mythical Banga refers to the region historically comprising much of present-day South Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. Successive elections have proven that whichever party secures control over this region holds the key to power in West Bengal. The BJP is rallying behind the historical and cultural motifs of unifying Anga, Banga, and Kalinga – ancient territories symbolising its civilisational vision – to frame its expansionist agenda in eastern India.
As part of this blueprint, the RSS operatives reveal plans to exponentially ramp up operations in South Bengal, particularly in Trinamool Congress-dominated (TMC-dominated) districts like North 24 Parganas and Howrah, where the shakha networks, ideological workshops, and community outreach will intensify to erode the ruling party’s base. The strategy hinges on positioning Bengal not just as a political battleground, but as the cultural keystone of a resurgent “Akhand Bharat” (undivided India) narrative.
During his last visit to Kolkata in August, at a time when the state was witnessing intense protests over the murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital, Bhagwat declared, “The chief minister’s decision on this condemnable incident will have the RSS’s support.”
Bgagwat’s statement fueled speculation of a behind-the-scenes agreement between the ruling parties at the state and national levels, a common accusation leveled by CPI(M) and Congress leaders in West Bengal. BJP leader and former Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy openly expressed his frustration on social media, urging the central leadership to take note of the popular opinion.
How the situation is different in Bengal compared to Delhi
“In Delhi, the RSS has managed to secure victories for the BJP by organising countless neighbourhood meetings and campaigns. However, the situation in West Bengal is distinct,” observed political analyst Subhamoy Mitra. “While the fall of the 34-year-old Left Front government and the Left’s defeat in Tripura have undoubtedly energised the sangh, it is also true that the Trinamool Congress represents a softer terrain for the RSS. As a result, the entire outcome hinges on the direction the RSS’s propaganda strategy takes.”
The Sangh has initiated an intensive campaign across Bengal to highlight the plight of minorities in Bangladesh, with the mobilisation of RSS cadres at gram panchayat level starting in March. The effort aims to consolidate the majority Hindu community’s votes, countering the anticipated unification of minority votes behind the TMC. The RSS is focusing on South and Central Bengal, strategically dividing the state into zones for targeted outreach. For instance, North 24 Parganas is split into three segments while Howrah City is treated as a separate district.
At least 18 senior functionaries participated in the first phase of discussions aimed at expanding the RSS influence at the grassroots level. Additionally, 25 representatives from nine key divisions of the RSS, including the executive leadership, propagators, and movement coordinators, took part in separate discussions. According to sources, RSS chief Bhagwat emphasised sustained efforts through various initiatives to spread the organisation’s ideology and philosophy to the lowest levels of society.
Currently, over 53 organisations affiliated with Sangh operate in the state. These include the BJP as its political wing, the Hind Mazdoor Sabha for labour rights, as well as educational and cultural organisations like Sanskar Bharati and Vidya Bharati. Several NGOs and other social groups also work under different names.
“During our discussions in Kolkata, we reviewed that in the last 86 years, the number of active RSS branches in West Bengal was around 530. Over the past 14 years under Trinamool rule, this number has grown almost fivefold to over 2,500. Many new volunteers are joining, and they are being trained. The RSS’s membership is expanding. Most of these branches are run by students from class nine to 11,” shared a senior office-bearer present in the discussion.
The RSS plans to raise awareness about the negative impact of Western culture on joint families and promote environmental conservation. Leaders emphasised the need for vigilance to prevent societal unrest. Discussions also addressed concerns over government grants and BJP’s weakness as an opposition, especially the issue of elected BJP leaders defecting to Trinamool Congress.
“This time, Bhagwatji has emphasised the concept of ‘Swa’ – selfhood, including ideas like self-nation, self-identity, and self-power. The RSS has already begun a campaign to build public opinion against social restlessness, intolerance, and destruction of government property in the name of protests,” stated the official.
For BJP, the Trinamool supremo’s growing soft-Hindutva stance has become a concern. The Mamata Banerjee government is constructing a Jagannath Temple in Digha. In recent years, it has significantly increased funding for the Gangasagar Mela and declared a holiday for Ram Navami. The government has also introduced priest allowances and continues to raise grants for Durga Puja organisers annually.
On Friday (February 14), Banerjee directed the state administration to ensure smooth arrangements for pilgrims attending the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Tribeni in Hooghly and Mahaprabhu Ghat, Majer Char, and Kalyani in Nadia. Interestingly, Kartik Maharaj, a controversial monk, whom the chief minister had rebuked last year – and who was later awarded the Padma Shri by the Modi government – is a key figure behind the Tribeni and Nadia Mela.
“We do not deny that we are indeed working to strengthen our base with a target set for 2026. However, while political parties may claim that the ruling party in West Bengal is only corrupt, we do not say so. Our analysis shows that despite the Trinamool government’s corruption, it has undeniably undertaken commendable work, which cannot be dismissed. As part of our civic duty, we will credit what deserves credit,” admitted Biplab Ray, who heads the publicity wing of the RSS in West Bengal.
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For all her vitriolic attacks against the BJP, Banerjee has historically maintained a pragmatic stance toward the RSS. Though tensions dominate today, she declared in 2022 that the RSS “wasn’t bad” and still houses “good, honest people” unsympathetic to the BJP. The gesture underscores lingering goodwill rooted in history – in 2003, Banerjee praised the RSS as a “nationalist organisation,” seeking its support against the Left regime, while RSS leaders reciprocated by calling her “Durga Mata.”
The RSS faces a paradox. The TMC’s Hindu-centric initiatives – temple construction in Digha, Ram Navami holidays, priest allowances, and Durga Puja grants – align partially with its cultural agenda. Hence, the Sangh walks a tightrope, expanding the BJP’s base while avoiding total alienation of a regime that allows its exponential growth in the state.
Ray clarifies, “Supporting Trinamool does not mean we are a political force conducting elections. As RSS pracharaks, we continue our work as a civic duty. Bhagwatji has emphasised reaching out to Dalits and backward communities, and that work is ongoing. We have been engaged in this effort among forest-dwelling communities for years. Additionally, the RSS’s intellectual outreach has expanded significantly in West Bengal.”
Senior RSS leader in West Bengal, Jishnu Bose, points out, “Do you think the BJP won 77 seats in West Bengal on its own? That was the result of the Sangh’s efforts.”
Yet, those who played a key role in securing the BJP’s foothold across 77 constituencies remain sceptical about the party’s leadership and trajectory. A senior RSS functionary from North 24 Parganas discloses, “Until the BJP establishes itself as a true governing force in Bengal, many Hindus will continue to turn to Durga Mata [Mamata Banerjee]. With the Communists and Congress in decline, the Sangh’s responsibility is to build upon the foundation already laid. This is what our workers expect. The real problem is that many BJP leaders today mirror Trinamool in both conduct and approach.”
As Bhagwat inaugurates a new RSS office in Bardhaman, the Sangh’s objective is unmistakable – transform mythology into movement, and movement into momentum.
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.