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At a time when ties between India and Pakistan are at an all time low, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is holding a three-day meet -- the Amrit Mahotsav -- in Puri, Orissa.
The Mahotsav, which will be held from December 28 to 30, assumes significance as it comes a day before the Bharatiya Janata Party national executive in New Delhi.
"The RSS leaders may suggest the BJP, which is heading the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, to attack Pakistan and destroy terrorist pockets," a senior RSS leader said.
The last Mahotsav was organised in Cuttack in 1980, when the BJP's presence in the state was negligible. For the party, this is an opportunity to prove that its popularity in the state has increased by leaps and bounds. Senior BJP leaders have been closely involved in the preparations for the conference.
In the last few days half-a-dozen BJP ministers in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's government visited Puri to help prepare for the conference.
Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Juel Oram was in Puri for three days. The party high command has asked the state leaders to ensure that the function goes off smoothly, sources said.
One hundred and fifty acres of land, which will be known as Gopabandhu Mahanagar, has been chosen to hold the Mahotsav.
According to an RSS worker in charge of the construction work, everything will be ready on time. "We have managed to complete everything," he said. Around 3000 tent houses, 1200 latrines, 1500 bathrooms, and 75 tubewell are ready, he added.
Around 25,000 swayamsevaks of the RSS are likely to attend the conference. Besides, members of the BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits will also be present.
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