By Sami Ahmed
NEW DELHI—The Reporters’ Collective, a group of like-minded journalists who put the spotlight on those in power, has alleged that as many as 62 Sainik Schools in the country have been handed over to “Sangh Parivar, BJP politicians and allies”.
The Collective’s research-based article has been published on reporters-collective.in website. The Collective’s article is based entirely on the data and details provided by the Ministry of Defence under the Right to Information Act.
The Sainik Schools provide a significant number of officers in the Indian army and other armed forces. It is managed by SSS (Sainik Schools Society). SSS is an autonomous body which is run under the Ministry of Defence.
In its report published on April 3 which has been authored by Astha Savyasachi, the Collective claims that between 2022 and 2023, the central government has transferred a significant number of Sainik Schools to educational institutes that are linked with the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), other Hindutva organisations and leaders of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) or its allies.
According to this report, out of the 40 Sainik School agreements so far, at least 62% were awarded to schools linked to such organisations.
Significantly, no such affiliation has been granted to any private schools run by Christian, Muslim or other religious minority organisations.
The glaring example of Hindutva infiltration in Sainik Schools is the case of the controversial Sadhvi Rithambhara. The government awarded Sainik School agreements to Ritambhara’s Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School in Vrindavan and Raj Luxmi Samvid Gurukulam in Solan, the report said. They are said to be India’s first military schools for girls. Ritambhara is the founder of Durga Wahini affiliated with the extreme right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
It may be recalled that before 2022, thirty-three Sainik Schools were being run jointly by the Centre and various state governments. A year ago, the BJP-led central government invited the private schools/ institutions to partner with the SSS and run their own branches of Sainik Schools with partial financial support.
According to the report, between May 2022 and December 2023, seven of those schools that signed MoUs with the Sainik Schools Society belonged to RSS or its allied organisations.
Eleven schools run by BJP leaders, managed by their trusts or belonging to friends and political allies of the Hindutva group, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sainik Schools Society. Six schools have close relations to Hindutva organisations or other Hindu religious organisations.
According to the report, Nasik’s Bhonsala Military School was also approved to operate as a Sainik School. This school was established in 1937 by the Hindu right-wing ideologue BS Moonje. It is now run by the Central Hindu Military Education Society. This school was also in the news for the allegation that the persons accused in the 2006 Nanded Bomb Blast and the 2008 Malegaon Blasts were trained at Bhonsala Military School.
Former Lieutenant General Prakash Menon told The Reporters’ Collective that the concept for the Hindutva groups was to ‘catch them young’ which was “not good for the armed forces.” He says that awarding contracts to such organisations would impact the character and ethos of the armed forces.
The Ministry of Defence has issued an unsigned rebuttal to certain journalists who published the story. Its statement says, “Articles have appeared in certain sections of the Press insinuating that New Sainik Schools are being allocated to institutions based on their political or ideological affiliations. Such insinuations are unfounded.”
