RSS, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) or any Sangh Parivar bodies are eventually seen as a communal body. Some even consider it a terrorist outfit. But as I grew up looking at RSS as a social organization and they have a lot in their kitty. Right from extending support during Tsunami to Uttarakhand Floods, they stood everywhere as a Disaster Management force.

Unlikely, all those things never came up in the mainstream media. Well, now rather going on sparking a debate, let’s see the social initiatives of RSS and ABVP.

The number of cases in Mumbai are exceeding every passing day. Excess population, lower proximity to each individual and a host of other factors are responsible. Reportedly, there are several pockets where healthcare haven’t reached to perform screening.

Support

In such a case, students part of ABVP Mumbai and the local RSS unit offered to support the government machinery and health workers. Volunteers of ABVP and RSS began door to door screening in slum pockets of Nehru Nagar in Mumbai. PRecisely, this locality is near Mithibai College, Vile Parle.

Working Pattern

These volunteers were equipped with PPE sets and directed by doctors on board. They screened over 500 people in the last three days. Screening 500, 4 were at the risk of contracting the virus. The volunteers, kept 2 of the 4 in Home Quarantine and referred the rest to a nearby BMC Hospital.

Suraj Lokare, Organising Secretary of ABVP South Mumbai and student of Sydenham College, gave a statement, “These 3 days of volunteering brings you in the shoes of BMC and police personnel, and helps you to understand the difficulties faced by them in slum pockets where the virus has spread rapidly.”

He further said, “The response from local residents are very encouraging. They welcome such initiatives, who at many times offered us refreshments during the shifts. Doing such forms of social service is a part of ABVP’s initiative Seva for Society. It has been undertaken by RSS and ABVP workers alike.”

Well, I’m sure this might spark a large debate as RSS, ABVP and other organizations tagged as Sangh Parivar were at the forefront for any social cause. Not only in Mumbai, but in places like Tamil Nadu and Kerala where they are short of recognition. Well, also know the Startups in the fight against COVID-19.