Ashok B Sharma / AMN /
A three-day coordination meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders began here today. BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Health Minister JP Nadda attended the meeting.
Ram Madhav, a BJP general secretary who was formerly with the RSS, was also present.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the meeting on Friday.
Issues like census figures, OROP, Patel agitation in Gujarat, land bill, labour reforms and education policy are likely to be discussed in the crucial meet.
More ministers will join the event being presided by RSS head Mohan Bhagwat.
Government ministers may brief the 93 top functionaries of the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its 15 affiliates about several issues, including economy, agriculture and education, and will be given inputs by the ‘Sangh parivar’ bodies, sources said.
Meanwhile BJP has clarified that the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) issue related to ex-servicemen will not be discussed during the three day RSS- BJP coordination meeting .
Party General Secretary Ram Madhav said the OROP is a policy matter and government will take a decision on it. He maintained that specific policy issues are not discussed in such meeting.
Mr. Madhav’s remarks came amid reports that during the first day meet today, RSS has favoured early implementation of OROP and also opined that government should form a commission to solve the contentious issue.