Who’s Datta Didolkar, the latest RSS leader brought into spotlight

The Yuva Sena, the student wing of the Shiv Sena (UBT), has questioned the directive. “The RSS/ BJP should organise programmes (to commemorate Didolkar) privately with their own funds. Why are they making it mandatory for all universities and colleges to participate?” the Yuva Sena said.

Early life

Born in a humble household in a small town of Buldhana district on August 7, 1924, Didolkar moved to Nagpur at an early age. He completed his schooling from Patwardhan High School and went on to graduate with a BSc degree from Nagpur University.

After Didolkar joined the RSS, he was assigned in 1947 to carry out the Sangh’s organisational work in the then Madras province.

When the Congress government banned the RSS in 1948 following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Didolkar returned to Nagpur, and largely functioned in and around there till his death in October 1990.

At a time when many RSS leaders were arrested, he enrolled himself in the Nagpur Law College for pursuing further studies in law.

Then Didolkar proactively took steps with other top RSS functionaries to set up the ABVP, and associated himself with educational activities.

He set up a “non-commercial”, private coaching centre – Jayant Tutorial – with the aim of providing education to the needy. Didolkar was also associated with fellow RSS leader Eknath Ranade, during the mammoth Vivekananda Rock Memorial project in Kanyakumari.

RSS insiders talk about Didolkar’s focus on education to people cutting across castes and communities.

In its letter, the UGC called Didolkar an “inspiration” to thousands of students and youths across the country and cited his association with many social organisations.

The UGC directive to mark his birth centenary followed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in this regard.

The UGC’s “directive” has also not gone down well with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar, who said it is objectionable that the RSS and BJP are trying to use such celebrations to push their hidden agenda in colleges and universities.

RSS plans year-long celebrations

Separately, to “celebrate” and “honour” Didolkar’s legacy, the RSS and BJP started year-long celebrations for his centenary from August 7 this year.

RSS general secretary Datta Hosbale inaugurated the celebrations in Nagpur, ddescribing the ABVP co-founder as a “great inspiration” and “selfless worker”, who always worked in the interest of karyakartas.

In July 2018, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had unveiled Didolkar’s biography at an event – Prerna Vidyarthi Sammelan – organised by the ABVP in Nagpur.

At the time, Bhagwat described Didolkar as the perfect example of an ideal karyakarta. “He relentlessly worked for the well-being of society while his simplicity and accessibility ensured people approached him without any inhibitions,” the RSS chief said.

‘Acceptable to all’

“I had the opportunity to meet him once and it left a lasting impression on me. I was among a group of ABVP members holding a protest at an Amaravati college, where we got aggressive and created a ruckus. The institution then complained against us to Didolkar, who met us and told us that though the issue we raised was right, the manner in which we protested was not. This was a lesson for me,” BJP MLC and former ABVP activist Shrikant Bharatiya says.

Bharatiya adds that Didolkar later told the authorities that if he were a student, he too would have protested against the issue.

“While he admonished our conduct, he did not let us down before the authorities. It was his utmost care and affection for karyakartas which made him acceptable to all,” the BJP MLC said