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Nagpur gears up for the big show

For tomorrow's Pratinidhi Sabha, some top leaders have already begun arriving in Nagpur. BJP general secretary Govindacharya, who is also a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh prant pracharak, arrived this morning from Ahmedabad via Bombay.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad working president Ashok Singhal was in Nagpur yesterday but flew out this morning. He is expected again tomorrow, in time to attend the Pratinidhi Sabha, but RSS officials refused to confirm this.

Bajrang Dal chief Vinay Katyar is not expected. "He is not a member of the Pratinidhi Sabha," explained one RSS official.

Except for Govindacharya, the BJP presence this time is low key. However, it is likely that BJP president Kushabhau Thakre or vice-president Jana Krishnamoorthy might turn up tomorrow morning. A regular at the Pratinidhi Sabha used to be S S Bhandari, but now that he is the governor of Gujarat, he will not attend the RSS meeting.

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh president Dattopant Thengdi, who has been extremely critical of the National Democratic Alliance government's economic policies, is already in Nagpur for the Sabha. Thengdi has warned the government not to proceed with its plans to sell of the public sector enterprises nor to allow foreign insurance companies into India. The government has not heeded either suggestion, so far.

At the RSS's office at Reshim Baug in Nagpur, the constant movement of vehicles indicates that the expected 1,500 participants for the Pratinidhi Sabha have begun arriving from all over the country.

"By tomorrow morning, this building will be a mini-India," said an RSS official at the gate.

However, only RSS members are being allowed inside. The media is politely but very firmly turned away. The RSS officials helpfully point that there will be two press briefings -- on Saturday and Sunday -- besides a photo opportunity on Friday.

While the media is used to be being shown the egress during closed door meetings and hush-hush debates, the police are not. Yet, that is what happened on Wednesday night when three cops from the special branch sought entry on to the premises.

Police constables in mufti turned up at the rear entrance gate, saying they had been sent to keep a watch on the premises and to screen the people going in and out. They were asked to go to the main gate. They pleaded that they be permitted to at least meet a senior RSS official But they were turned down.

At the main gate, the RSS reception committee there told the cops they were unwelcome. The policemen protested, saying that their orders were to screen people going in (they even had a metal detector with them) to ensure no one was carrying in arms or anything dangerous.

The RSS reception committee, headed by one Sudhir Varadpande, flatly refused to budge. The cops were told that their services were not required, that the RSS could take care of its own leaders and had made all the necessary arrangement, thank you very much.

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