The elevation of Yogi Adityanath to the post of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has led to a significant spike in membership applications to the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV), a pro-Hindutva outfit founded by Adityanath in 2002. While earlier the organisation would receive 500-1,000 applications a month, it is now being flooded with 5,000 applications a day, according to a report in the Indian Express. As a result, HYV has been forced to issue a set of guidelines on the induction of new members into the organisation.

A circular addressing district and divisional office-bearers cautions them to “be careful while inducting a new person as a member” as a “lot of people want to join the organisation with a strategy to defame it”. The circular directs office-bearers to check the “background” of fresh applicants before they are inducted. “After induction, a newcomer would be given post in the organisation only after working as an ordinary worker for at least six months,” it states. A copy of the circular has also been uploaded on HYV’s website, which clarifies that membership applications can only be submitted online from now.

PK Mall, state office-in-charge of HYV, explained that after completing the online submission process, an applicant’s details will be sent to HYV units of their home districts “where local workers will inquire with local police about their political inclination and background”. “If any applicant is found to be facing serious criminal cases or having an inclination towards Opposition parties, they will be denied entry,” Mall added. According to Mall’s estimates, the current membership of HYV stands at nearly 2 lakh.