A New Chapter in Chhattisgarh Politics: Veteran Tribal Leader Arvind Netam Invited to RSS Event

In a surprising turn of events, veteran tribal leader Arvind Netam, who has served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Indira Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao, has been invited to be the chief guest at an RSS event. This move has raised eyebrows in Chhattisgarh’s political circles, with many wondering what this means for the state’s political landscape.

A Deja Vu for the Congress

Netam, 83, a former Congressman, will share the stage with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the organisation’s volunteer training camp, Karyakarta Vikas Varg-Dwithiya Samapan Samaroh. He will also speak at the closing ceremony, highlighting significant tribal issues. This is not the first time the RSS has invited a prominent Congress leader to their event. Late former President Pranab Mukherjee was also invited to the same event, which was criticised by the party.

Netam’s Surprising Invitation

Speaking to India Today TV, Netam expressed his surprise at receiving the invitation from the RSS. "I am surprised that RSS has invited me to be a part of such a crucial event. But, I’m going to use this opportunity to highlight a bunch of tribal issues, as the RSS is a guiding force to the BJP and the party is in power in Chhattisgarh," he said. Netam believes that despite having a tribal chief minister at the helm, there is a huge communication gap between the tribals and the government.

Tribal Issues on the Agenda

Netam plans to raise several important tribal issues at the event, including religious conversion, industrialisation, and the PESA Act. "Religious conversion is the most important issue that I’m going to raise. It is rampantly taking place and needs immediate attention by the government. Unfortunately, my own community is sleeping over it and I’m going to seek the RSS’s help as they keep consistently working on it across the nation," he said. Netam also highlighted the issue of industrialisation, which he believes the state government is not serious about resolving.

A Complex Issue: PESA Act

The PESA Act, which was enacted to protect the rights of tribals, is being taken as a joke in the country, according to Netam. "Their lands are being given to industrialists. Only communication with the villagers can resolve this complex issue. For that, the central government must be on board, which the RSS can only convey," he added. Netam’s decision to raise these issues at the RSS event has sparked a mixed reaction from the political parties in the state.

Congress Reacts Cautiously

The Congress party, which Netam was a part of until 2023, has reacted cautiously to the news. "Netam is certainly a huge tribal leader. But, tribal people are aware of the RSS’s intentions. Netam will lose ground in Bastar if he joins the BJP," Congress spokesperson Sushil Shukla said. The party believes that Netam’s move will not hurt them, but it remains to be seen how this will play out in the state’s politics.

BJP Sees No Discord

On the other hand, the BJP feels that the RSS doesn’t discriminate among people and believes in working for the welfare of the people. The party sees no discord in Netam attending the RSS event, even if it means raising issues that are critical of the government.

A New Beginning or a Calculated Move?

Senior political analyst Sunil Kumar opines that the Congress was not investing enough time in finding real issues and converting non-issues into politics. "It is unfair on Netam that the Congress is attacking him despite Netam having no association with the party. The party shouldn’t forget that Netam was also a part of the BJP. So, I consider this as a good move as one may be ideologically on different pages with the RSS. The robust organisation has lakhs of active members and it keeps working closely through their various frontal factions across the nation. He (Netam) will escalate various tribal issues efficiently," he said.

As the state of Chhattisgarh watches with bated breath, it remains to be seen how Netam’s association with the RSS will play out in the state’s politics. Will this mark a new beginning for Netam, or is it a calculated move to further his own political interests? Only time will tell.

About the Author

This article was published by Prateek Chakraborty on June 5, 2025.

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