The arterial roads passing through Saroornagar and its surrounding localities reverberated with the beats of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s ‘ghosh’ (band) as thousands of Swayamsevaks, clad in khaki trousers and white shirt and holding lathis, organised themselves into columns and marched from four routes on Wednesday evening.
Traffic on one side of the road came to a standstill as the ‘route march’ culminated at Saroornagar Indoor Stadium, which was the venue of the Sangh’s Sarvajanika Utsav of ‘Vijaya Sankalp Sibiram’.
Though more than 8,000 Swayamsevaks participated in the meeting, the commotion which is usually observed at large-scale public gatherings, was not witnessed. Space was allotted for everyone, such as members of ‘ghosh’, those who demonstrated physical exercise, and supporters. They slowly marched and stood or sat in the space allotted to them. Senior Swayamsevaks monitored crowd management.
In the backdrop of a huge dais, images of ‘Bharat Mata’ (Mother India), RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and its former chief MS Golwalkar were displayed. On either side of the dais were placed huge cut-outs of Swami Vivekananda, architect of the Constitution BR Ambedkar, Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, and Gond tribal leader Kumram Bheem..
As soon as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who was himself in the new dress code of the organisation, climbed the dais, a saffron flag was hoisted, followed by reciting of prayers by Swayamsevaks. Then, they demonstrated physical exercise. People climbed buildings surrounding the open ground to watch the programme.
