It is 6 am. It will be several hours yet before the Lucknow University campus begins stirring with activity. However, the RSS is already up and about. A large number of swayamsevaks have congregated at the famous lawn in front of the Tagore Library. Several students in pleated khaki shorts and white shirts take the ritualistic oath to protect their motherland.

It was expected that the Gujarat government's reimposing the ban on government employees joining the RSS would be a dampener on the organisation's activities in universities. But the appointment of the proactive K.S. Sudarshan as RSS chief has served as a shot in the arm for RSS activists.

The fact that Lucknow University's vice-chancellor, Prof D.P. Singh, attends the shakhas every morning seems to be an inspiration for the students. Singh has himself been an active pracharak. With official support, ABVP members and RSS activists assemble without fear of interruptions, leaving other student organisations like the All India Students Union of India and the Students' Federation of India fuming at the sidelines in chagrin.

The vice-chancellor's role is what is being questioned by the Opposition in the state. Says Congress leader Pramod Tewari: "Why blame the students when we all know that they are puppets in the hands of the VC, who by virtue of being a staunch RSS supporter was appointed by the government?"

Sudarshan's appointment will further boost the activities of the RSS in universities, concede activists. Says Manoj Kumar Pandey, a BA final year student: "Our new leader Sudarshanji has given us a clearer direction." And like Pandey, others too feel happy that at last they have a hardliner as their leader.

Sutapa Mukerjee in Lucknow- Outlook Mar27