Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, led by Praveen Togadia, recently conducted a seven-day arms training camp in Mornoi village, Darrang District, Assam. Around 350 young men, aged between 18 and 30, received rigorous training in handling arms, martial arts, survival skills, politics, and Vedic rituals. The objective of the camp was to prepare the youth for self-defense against suspected security threats posed by alleged illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Objective: The camp aimed to combat potential risks from suspected jihadis and maintain readiness for civil strife-like situations. Nilav Ritu, the vice-president of Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, highlighted the need to protect against possible attacks from illegal immigrants and emphasized that the training was to ensure self-defense.
Trainers and Curriculum: The camp’s trainers, including a retired CRPF officer, a retired civil servant, and other retired government officials, were brought in from Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. The curriculum encompassed martial arts, weapons handling, survival skills, quick thinking, politics, ideological orientation, and hand-to-hand combat.
Recruitment and Future Plans: Rashtriya Bajrang Dal claims to have already recruited 50,000 youths in Assam and plans to conduct more training programs in suspected Bangladeshi-dominated areas. This camp marked the sixth in a series, with previous camps held in locations like Tamulpur, Hojai, Dhubri (twice), Nalbari, and Mangaldoi, training a total of 2,400 cadres so far.
Purpose and Justification: The organization’s leadership asserts that these training initiatives are vital in the face of a perceived influx of illegal Bangladeshis into Assam. While acknowledging that there have been a few unreported instances of such infiltration, the camp’s purpose is to equip the youth to defend themselves in case of large-scale attacks.
Conclusion: The recent arms training camp organized by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal in Assam has garnered attention due to its scale and focus on self-defense against potential security threats. As the organization plans to expand its training programs, it remains to be seen how these developments will unfold in the context of security and communal dynamics in the region.
