The Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Seemanta Chetana Mancha is focusing on creating mass awareness among people living in border  areas to prevent antinational activities, infiltration, cattle smuggling and smuggling of counterfeit currency notes in north Bengal.

The RSS and the Mancha have planned to jointly worship ‘Bharat Mata’ (Mother India) in a big manner in the bordering areas of the region for the first time on 26 January. The Mancha especially focuses on issues relating to the Indo-Bangladesh borders across the country, while it also emphasises on the China border at Nathula in Sikkim and tries to generate a sense of patriotism among the masses there, RSS office bearers have said. “We work on education, health, employment, and development of the people in bordering districts to strengthen relations, security of civilians and spread awareness on national security in north Bengal, as the region shares borders with Bangladesh and the China border is located nearby,” organising secretary of the Mancha, Jagannath Senapati, said here today.

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A senior functionary of the Mancha said that ‘Bharat Mata’ would be worshipped in the bordering areas of north Bengal for the first time as mega events on 26 January this year. “North Bengal has become a safe corridor for anti-national elements. We have formed district-wise teams and this year we have planned to organise the worship in a bigger manner. Patriotic songs will be sung, and discussions held on patriots who sacrificed their lives for the country, while volleyball and kabbadi matches will be held as part of the continuous mass awareness programmes.

People should understand patriotic values,” he said. An RSS leader said that route marches on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on 23 January will be organiseed in all the districts of north Bengal to instill a sense of patriotism among the people. India shares more than 4,096 km of borders with Bangladesh, out of which, 23 % (around 1000 km) is unfenced. West Bengal shares 2,217 km of the border, while still 940 km fall in north Bengal.