NEW DELHI: Six RSS-affiliated organisations have held two rounds of meetings with the
BJP brass, including party chief
Amit Shah, and finance minister
Arun Jaitley to discuss various economic issues, particularly the perceived distress in the farm sector and implementation of GST.
Led by RSS joint general secretary, Krishna Gopal, the representatives of the saffron outfits apprised the BJP top leadership of the feedback on grassroot concerns that cropped up during the recent assembly elections in Gujarat and
Himachal Pradesh
with agrarian crisis being at the top.
The meetings, held at the office of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, hold significance in view of the upcoming national executive meet of BJP as also the presentation of the
Union Budget
in February. The party comes out with political and economic resolutions during its national executive meet, which largely reflect the government's agenda.
RSS prachar pramukh Manmohan Vaidya said the 35-RSS affiliated organisations were divided in six groups and those dealing with economic affairs interacted with BJP leadership (Shah) and the government representative (Jaitley).
"Such meetings happen twice in a year. This meeting should have happened earlier but were delayed due to the assembly polls," Vaidya told TOI. He said the organisations shared their observations and suggestions with the party leadership and the finance minister.
Representatives of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Sahakar Bharati, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat and Laghu Udyog Bharti were present at the meetings with Shah and Jaitley.
"It was a routine meeting in which representatives of organisations interacted with the BJP leaders on economic matters. However, there was no specific agenda and various issues were discussed," Swadeshi Jagaran Manch co- convenor Ashwini Mahajan told TOI. Sources said the affiliate bodies of RSS suggested that the Union Budget focus on farmers' welfare.
Sources said Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Laghu Udyog Bharti expressed concern about rising Chinese imports and its harmful effects on indigenous small-scale industries.
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh raised the issue of farmers being forced to sell produce below the minimum support price announced by the Centre, sources said. Both Shah and Jaitley assured them of appropriate action.