Latest news with #Organiser
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
BJP hiked Delhi poll spend by 40% in 2025
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) more than doubled its spending on individual candidates in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, even as its overall expenditure rose by 40% compared to 2020, according to the party's latest filings with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The BJP, according to its declarations with ECI made public on Monday, spent ₹18.5 crore on 68 candidates — including ₹25 lakh in direct transfers to each — compared to ₹8.57 crore in 2020, when it paid ₹10 lakh each to 64 candidates. Overall, its total election spending rose to ₹57.65 crore from ₹41.06 crore in 2020. Much of this went into media advertising, which alone accounted for ₹29 crore. Of this, ₹1.18 crore went to DB Corp, which publishes Danik Bhaskar; ₹11.8 lakh to Bharat Prakashan, which publishes Organiser and Panchjanya; and ₹9.44 lakh each to Aadhyaasi Media, and Kovai Media, which publish OpIndia, Swarajya respectively. Additionally, ₹1.18 crore was paid to One97 Communications, which owns Paytm, a digital and financial services technology company. The BJP's Delhi state unit spent more than ₹25 crore in advertisements. 'General propaganda' costs stood at ₹39.14 crore. The party's spending spike coincided with its return to power in Delhi after 27 years, winning 48 of the 68 seats it contested. The AAP, which contested all 70, won 22. In contrast, the Congress spent ₹46.18 crore and the AAP ₹14.51 crore overall. Candidate-specific spending by the Congress was ₹6.05 crore; for AAP, it was just ₹2.39 crore. The Congress focused instead on virtual campaigns, spending ₹5.95 crore on behalf of its candidates, while the AAP transferred ₹2.23 crore to 23 candidates, 15 of whom lost. The Congress also spent ₹18 crore on media advertising, including bulk SMS campaigns, and paid ₹2.68 crore to Associated Journals Ltd, publisher of National Herald, which is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In 2020, the AAP and the Congress had spent ₹21 crore and ₹27.68 crore, respectively.
Mint
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
India has no option but to be powerful against 'wicked' evil forces on borders: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat
India has no option but to be powerful as it has been witnessing the 'wickedness of the evil forces" on all its borders, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has said. Bhagwat also stressed that India must not be dependent on others for national security. "There are evil forces in the world that are aggressive by nature," Bhagwat said in an interview published in the latest issue of RSS-linked weekly magazine Organiser, as reported by news agency PTI. "We have no option but to be powerful as we have been witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders," the RSS chief said during the interaction in the backdrop of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS on March 21-23, 2025. The interview was recorded before Operation Sindoor – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. "True strength is internal. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us, not even if multiple powers come together," Bhagwat said. Bhagwat also called for unity in the Hindu society and making 'Bharat' so mighty in military power and economy that it cannot be 'conquered' even if "multiple powers come" together. He, however, stressed that strength should be combined with virtues and righteousness as a "mere brute power" can be directionless leading to 'blatant violence'. Bhagwat stressed that India must not be dependent on others for national security. 'True strength is internal. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us, not even if multiple powers come together.' Bhagwat said work is going on to strengthen Hindu society but it is not complete yet. "Slowly but surely, that situation is evolving," he said, adding, "This time, the way anguish against the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh has been expressed is unprecedented. Even local Hindus (in Bangladesh) now say -- we won't flee. We'll stay and fight for our rights." Outlining the RSS' resolve for the next quarter of the century, he said it is to unite the 'entire Hindu society' and take Bharat to the pinnacle of glory, and eventually extend this transformation to the whole world. "The Hindu society must awaken now. Forgetting divisions and selfishness, we need to shape our personal, family, social and professional life based on the 'dharmik' values rooted in Hindutva," he said when asked about his message for the well-wishers, thinkers and the Hindu society in this centenary year of the RSS. Bhagwat said the RSS is a principle-centred organisation with the idea that 'Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra' embedded in its core functioning. "We may take inspiration and follow the direction given by great personalities, but in every desh-kaal-paristhiti (time and situation), we must carve our own path. This calls for constant discernment between what is eternal (nitya) and what is situational (anitya)," he said. True strength is internal. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us, not even if multiple powers come together. Bhagwat said there is "complete freedom" in the RSS to express diverse and conflicting opinions during discussion but once a decision is reached by building consensus, everyone keeps aside their individual opinions by merging them into the collective decision. "The eternal is preserved; the transient evolves with time, space and context," he added.
Economic Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for making Bharat mighty; says country facing 'wickedness of evil forces' on borders
PTI RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has called for unity in the Hindu society and making Bharat so mighty in military power and economy that it cannot be "conquered" even if "multiple powers come" together. He, however, stressed that strength should be combined with virtues and righteousness as a "mere brute power" can be directionless leading to "blatant violence". India has no option but to be powerful as it has been "witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces" on all its borders, Bhagwat said in an interview published in the latest issue of RSS-linked weekly magazine Organiser. This interaction was in the backdrop of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of RSS on March 21-23, 2025, and was recorded before Operation Sindoor, at the Organiser-Panchjanya office, the magazine said. "We must strive for strength. As we pray through the daily prarthana (prayer): 'Ajayyam cha visvasya dehisa saktim' (Grant us such strength that globally we are invincible)," Bhagat told the magazine when asked to share the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's vision on national security, military strength and economic power. He stressed that India must not be dependent on others for national security. "True strength is internal. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us, not even if multiple powers come together." "There are evil forces in the world that are aggressive by nature," he said, adding, "We have no option but to be powerful as we have been witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders." "A virtuous person is not safe just because of his virtues. Hence virtues should be combined with strength. Mere brute power can be directionless, leading to blatant blatant violence. Hence power should be combined with righteousness," Bhagwat underlined. Continuing with his argument, the RSS chief said, "So we must worship both virtue and strength. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked -- this should be the nature of our power." "When no option is available, then wickedness has to be eradicated forcefully," he said. "We are not doing this to dominate world trade, but to ensure that everyone should be able to lead a peaceful, healthy and empowered life." Asked if human rights defenders at the global level care about Hindus facing "exploitation and violence in the neighbouring countries", the RSS chief said someone would worry about Hindus only when Hindus are strong enough. "As the Hindu society and Bharat are intertwined, the glorious nature of Hindu society will bring glory to Bharat. Such a strong Hindu society can only present a model for taking along the people of Bharat who do not consider themselves Hindus, as at one point they were also Hindus. "If the Hindu society of Bharat becomes strong, then automatically, Hindus will gain strength globally," he added. Bhagwat said work is going on to strengthen Hindu society but it is not complete yet. "Slowly but surely, that situation is evolving," he said, adding, "This time, the way anguish against the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh has been expressed is unprecedented. Even local Hindus (in Bangladesh) now say -- we won't flee. We'll stay and fight for our rights." The RSS chief asserted the "internal strength" of the Hindu society was increasing. "As the organisation grows, its impact will translate naturally. Until then, we must keep fighting," he said. "Wherever Hindus are in the world, we will do everything possible for them, following international norms. The Sangh exists for the same," Bhagwat added. Outlining the RSS' resolve for the next quarter of the century, he said it is to unite the "entire Hindu society" and take Bharat to the pinnacle of glory, and eventually extend this transformation to the whole world. "The Hindu society must awaken now. Forgetting divisions and selfishness, we need to shape our personal, family, social and professional life based on the 'dharmik' values rooted in Hindutva," he said when asked about his message for the well-wishers, thinkers and the Hindu society in this centenary year of the RSS. That will pave the way for a powerful, righteous and self-reliant Bharat, he observed. "The world is waiting for a new path, and Bharat, meaning Hindu society, has to provide it as a divine duty." "Agriculture, industrial and scientific revolutions are over. Now the world needs a 'dharmic' revolution. I am not talking about religion, but human life has to be reorganised based on truth, purity, compassion and austerity. The world needs this, Bharat has to inevitably show the path," he added. Bhagwat said the RSS is a principle-centred organisation with the idea that 'Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra' embedded in its core functioning. "We may take inspiration and follow the direction given by great personalities, but in every desh-kaal-paristhiti (time and situation), we must carve our own path. This calls for constant discernment between what is eternal (nitya) and what is situational (anitya)," he said. "What is nitya in the Sangh? Balasaheb once said, 'Hindustan is a Hindu Rashtra.' Apart from this, everything else in the Sangh is transient. The entire Hindu society is the accountable custodian of this nation. The nature and the 'sanskriti' of this country are Hindu. Therefore, this is a Hindu Rashtra," the RSS chief said Everything is to be done while maintaining this core, he added. "Hence, the Sangh swayamsevak, while taking the oath, explicitly states: 'The all-round development of the Hindu Rashtra while protecting sacred Hindu dharma, Hindu 'sanskriti' and Hindu society'," he added. Bhagwat said there is "complete freedom" in the RSS to express diverse and conflicting opinions during discussion but once a decision is reached by building consensus, everyone keeps aside their individual opinions by merging them into the collective decision. "The eternal is preserved; the transient evolves with time, space and context," he added.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
RSS chief calls for making Bharat mighty; says country facing 'wickedness of evil forces' on borders
NEW DELHI: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has called for unity in the Hindu society and making Bharat so mighty in military power and economy that it cannot be "conquered" even if "multiple powers come" together. He, however, stressed that strength should be combined with virtues and righteousness as a "mere brute power" can be directionless leading to "blatant violence". India has no option but to be powerful as it has been "witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces" on all its borders, Bhagwat said in an interview published in the latest issue of RSS-linked weekly magazine Organiser. The interview was conducted following the meeting of RSS' highest decision-making body Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in Bengaluru about two months ago. "We must strive for strength. As we pray through the daily prarthana (prayer): 'Ajayyam cha visvasya dehisa saktim' (Grant us such strength that globally we are invincible)," Bhagat told the magazine when asked to share the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's vision on national security, military strength and economic power. He stressed that India must not be dependent on others for national security. "True strength is internal. We should be able to defend ourselves. No one should be able to conquer us, not even if multiple powers come together." "There are evil forces in the world that are aggressive by nature," he said, adding, "We have no option but to be powerful as we have been witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders." "A virtuous person is not safe just because of his virtues. Hence virtues should be combined with strength. Mere brute power can be directionless, leading to blatant blatant violence. Hence power should be combined with righteousness," Bhagwat underlined. Continuing with his argument, the RSS chief said, "So we must worship both virtue and strength. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked -- this should be the nature of our power." "When no option is available, then wickedness has to be eradicated forcefully," he said. "We are not doing this to dominate world trade, but to ensure that everyone should be able to lead a peaceful, healthy and empowered life."
Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Mohan Bhagwat: India must use power to ‘eradicate wickedness' in neighbourhood … Hindu Rashtra is RSS's eternal thought
Anything that the RSS does, it has to do so keeping in mind that India is a Hindu Rashtra and that is the 'eternal thought' of the organisation, RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat said in an interview to Organiser and Panchjanya, weeklies linked to the organisation, published on Sunday. Bhagwat also batted for using power to 'eradicate wickedness' in India's neighbourhood and using the strength of the Hindu society for their protection against persecution in certain countries. 'What is nitya in the Sangh? Balasaheb once said, 'Hindustan is a Hindu Rashtra.' Apart from this, everything else in the Sangh is transient. The entire Hindu society is the accountable custodian of this nation. The nature and sanskriti of this country are Hindu. Therefore, this is a Hindu Rashtra,' Bhagwat said. According to the RSS chief, everything has to be done while maintaining this core idea. 'Hence, the Sangh swayamsevak, while taking the oath, explicitly states: 'The all-round development of the Hindu Rashtra while protecting the sacred Hindu Dharma, Hindu Sanskriti and Hindu society,'' Bhagwat said. The RSS chief, however, said there was complete freedom to express diverse and conflicting opinions. 'The eternal is preserved; the transient evolves with time, space, and context,' he added. In the backdrop of the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent response from India in Operation Sindoor, Bhagwat articulated his thoughts on national security. According to him, India must worship both virtues and strength. 'For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked, should be the nature of our power. When no option is available, then wickedness has to be eradicated forcefully. We have no option but to be powerful, as we have been witnessing the wickedness of the evil forces on all our borders.' Following Operation Sindoor, the RSS chief had lauded the government on the military action against terrorist bases in Pakistan and said the strikes were inevitable for India's security. The military strikes were something that had 'enhanced the self-respect and morale of the whole country', he added. Referring to alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government last year, Bhagwat said, 'Someone will worry about Hindus only when Hindus are strong enough. As Hindu society and Bharat are intertwined, the glorious nature of Hindu society will bring glory to Bharat. Such a strong Hindu society can only present a model for taking along the people of Bharat who do not consider themselves Hindus, as at one point they were also Hindus,' he said. According to the RSS chief, if India's Hindu society becomes strong, then Hindus will automatically gain strength globally. 'This work is going on, but it is not yet complete. Slowly but surely, that situation is evolving. This time, the way anguish against the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh has been expressed is unprecedented. Even Local Hindus now say, 'We won't flee. We'll stay and fight for our rights,'' Bhagwat said. 'Now, the internal strength of the Hindu society is increasing. As the organisation grows, its impact will translate naturally. Until then, we must keep fighting,' he added. Bhagwat said the world was waiting for India to show a new path and that it was a 'divine duty'. 'The world is waiting for a new path and Bharat, meaning Hindu society, has to provide it as a divine duty. Agricultural, industrial and scientific revolutions are over. Now the world needs a dharmic revolution — I am not talking about religion, but based on human life has to be reorganised based on truth, purity, compassion, and austerity,' he said. Bhagwat's interview was conducted in the context of the RSS centenary this year. On the qualitative expansion of the organisation, he said, 'The qualitative and quantitative dimensions are not exclusive to each other; if you neglect one, the other will diminish over a period of time. That's why the Sangh from day one has decided to organise the entire society, that is, quantitative expansion encompassing all. But this 'organising' has a specific meaning and content. 'We have devised certain standards for developing a person as per his temperament and how such individuals should work collectively with the sense of 'we' to function as an organisation. We have to grow without breaking the standards or compromising with them, but that does not mean excluding people from the organisation.' The RSS chief spoke in detail about a socialist leader joining the organisation a few decades ago and struggling with his chain-smoking habit. He narrated how the organisation persuaded the leader to quit after allowing him to smoke a bit. 'Accept people as they are. We have this flexibility. At the same time, we also have the art of affection to transform him as per the need. We have such courage and strength. This is the reason we've grown while sustaining quality. We want quality in the organisation, but we also keep in mind that we have to qualitatively transform the entire society,' Bhagwat said.
