RSS's Expansion Journey Unopposed: Insights from ABPS

Bengaluru, March 21 (NationPress) The Chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, officially commenced the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) in Bengaluru on Friday. The RSS announced that this assembly would cover an extensive array of topics, such as the north-south divide, the conditions in Manipur and Bangladesh, Hindu-Muslim harmony, and the ongoing expansion of the RSS throughout the nation, among other subjects.

The Pratinidhi Sabha was inaugurated by Mohan Bhagwat and Dattatreya Hosabale, who lit a lamp and paid homage to Bharat Mata.

The attendees honored distinguished figures, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, renowned Tabla artist Zakir Hussain, Swami Pranavananda Tirtha Paad from Kollam, the descendant of Sant Tukaram Ji, Sri Sirish Maharaj Ji More, social thinker M.K. Vasudevan Nayar, celebrated director Shyam Benegal, poet and film producer Pritish Nandy, seasoned leader of Karnataka, S.M. Krishna, and Kameshwar Chaupal, a trustee of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust.

Homage was also paid to two Padmashree awardees from Karnataka, Tulasi Gowda and Sukri Bomma Gowda, along with Shankar Dattawadi Ji, who has played a crucial role in promoting and solidifying the RSS globally.

Following the inauguration, Mukunda C.R., the Joint General Secretary of the RSS, revealed in a press conference that the organization is currently experiencing significant growth. He declared that there is no opposition to the RSS expansion throughout the nation.

In response to a query, Mukunda explained, “We have nearly one crore volunteers. Of these, around six lakh participate in our daily shakhas. Numerous volunteers trained in shakhas operate across various sectors, meaning that there are lakhs of volunteers involved in different fields. Most members typically join our organization between the ages of 12 and 25.”

He noted, “While some individuals join post-40, the majority enter as children.”

Discussing the expansion, Mukunda remarked, “Historically, we are gaining the anticipated momentum. Over the last 8 to 10 years, we have seen a surge of volunteers nationwide. In Tamil Nadu, however, the numbers were previously lower compared to other regions. Yet this year, the number of shakhas in Tamil Nadu has surpassed 4,000. In certain areas of Bihar, western Odisha, and the Devagiri region in Maharashtra, our presence is not as pronounced as in other locales.”

He continued, “We are observing a remarkable increase in volunteer numbers across all regions, with new shakhas being formed. Presently, there is no opposition to the RSS expansion in almost all parts of the country. While we encounter minor resistance in some areas, it is not rooted in religious issues; rather, it is temporary and politically motivated. We have successfully addressed such challenges. We are indeed on an expansion spree.”

Detailing the meeting, Mukunda elaborated, “When we convene for such gatherings, most of our time is dedicated to analyzing and strategizing our efforts. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the RSS. For us, expansion and consolidation take precedence over celebration. Furthermore, we evaluate the social transformation we aim to achieve and assess our progress in this regard.”

“We expect approximately 1,482 participants. Each year, our Pratinidhi Sabha sessions commence with paying tribute to those who have passed on,” he stated.

Highlighting key statistics, he mentioned, “The total number of locations where RSS activities occur is 73,646, with 51,710 being daily activities and 21,936 being weekly activities. The total number of shakhas stands at 83,129, which is nearly 10,000 more than last year.”

“The number of activities has increased by 10,000. Weekly activities have also seen a rise, with an addition of 4,430 from last year. The combined total of daily and weekly activities now stands at 1,15,276, as reported by workers across different regions of the country,” he stated.

“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on rural mandals. According to our division, we manage 58,981 rural mandals, with 30,770 daily shakhas. This past year, we bolstered this count by 3,050. The overall number of weekly shakhas is 9,200, bringing the total to 39,970.

He elaborated further, “Our Sar Sanghchalak ji has invited our karyakartas to commit two years as ‘Shatabdi Vistaraks’ for expansion and consolidation initiatives. Currently, 2,453 individuals have left their homes for this cause. Each year, new volunteers aged 14 to 25 join us. For instance, last year, we conducted 4,415 Prarambhik Varg sessions, resulting in 2,22,962 new volunteers joining our organization. Among these, 1.63 lakh were in the 14-25 age range, while 20,000 were older than 40.

“Year after year, new students and young people are joining our organization. We also have an option on our website for interested individuals to register. Since 2012, 12,73,453 volunteers have shown interest through our online platform. Out of this, 46,000 women have also expressed interest and have been directed toward various activities.”

Discussing online outreach, he noted, “Our ‘Join RSS’ segment is receiving responses from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and even from abroad. We are a youth-centric organization, and every year, students and young individuals continue to join us.”

Citing highlights from the annual report, Mukunda said, “Our Sahakaryavaha, Dattatreya Hosabale, has included this year’s tour programs in his report. This year, we visited several significant places and personalities. For instance, we visited a temple in Arunachal Pradesh and the hometown of Shaheed Abdul Hameed in Kashmir, where a biography was launched in his honor.”

“Our Sar Sanghchalak and Saha Karyavaha participated in a global meeting that occurs biannually. This was the fifth such meeting, where leaders from Hindu organizations with a global footprint, including ISKCON and Ramakrishna Mission, were present. This year, the gathering took place in Mumbai, uniting heads and officials from various spiritual organizations.”

“During this meeting, we covered the rights of Hindus in Bangladesh and around the globe. We also discussed a collaborative path toward strengthening our community, both domestically and internationally,” he added.

Touching on social service endeavors, he commented, “We have a total of 89,706 service activities. Out of these, 49,920 relate to education, 17,461 to medical services, 10,779 to self-reliance, and 20,546 to social awareness. The RSS has launched special initiatives in rural development, focusing on promoting harmony. Our volunteers have actively worked in 1,084 areas to eliminate social evils, such as restrictions on temple access and water taboos.