Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders clarified on Monday that relief work in Nepal was carried out by local volunteers of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, a Nepal-based organisation.
“All of the 1600 volunteers were locals,” Shyam Parande, Secretary of Sewa International, an RSS body involved in service activities, said.
A day after the first earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, BJP spokesperson and National Executive member Shaina N.C had tweeted: “20000 RSS swayamsevaks goin to Nepal to assist in rescue-relief operations media won't report this.”
The post had triggered a chain reaction of claims and counter-claims on the micro-blogging site, including allegations of the RSS’s followers indulging in exaggeration. The Sangh had then clarified that it was assessing the ground situation. It sent one of its joint general secretaries to coordinate the relief efforts.
“The RSS does not control the HSS, but only coordinates it,” Mr Pande said. The RSS, under its umbrella organisation for welfare work – the Rashtriya Sewa Bharati – was involved in the coordination effort in Nepal and collecting relief material from different parts of India, the president of the organisation, Surya Prakash Tonk, said.
According to the RSB estimates, more than 15,000 people died and over 25,000 were injured in the quakes in Nepal, he said.
