The top leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has spoken with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV), and expressed its concerns about the growing clout of the right-wing group in Uttar Pradesh.
The HYV has exerted considerable influence in eastern UP after it was founded by Adityanath in 2002. Since Adityanath has become CM, however, its stature has gone up across the state, with tens of thousands trying to join the group. Despite calls to exercise restraint, HYV workers have been linked to episodes of bullying and intimidation over Hindutva issues such as cow protection and "Love Jihad."
The Indian Expressreported today that the senior leadership of the RSS expressed their discomfort about the HYV running "parallel" to both the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and they flagged the issue of HYV workers behaving aggressively in "communal" incidents over the past two months.
Last month, the HYV was accused of barging into a house in Meerut and dragging out a Muslim man and a Hindu woman found to be in a compromising position. Earlier this month, HYV workers were linked to the killing of an elderly Muslim man in Bulandshahr who was believed to have information about a Hindu-Muslim couple that had eloped.
HYV, which denies involvement in both incidents, says that not everyone donning saffron scarves can be linked to HYV. The group is putting new recruits on a one year wait-and-watch list.
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