Outlining the expansion plans of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), its chief, Mohan Bhagwat, on Sunday asked the cadres to strengthen the right-wing organisation in rural areas and expand its shakhas (branches) to every village.
He called for bringing more and more people into the organisation, particularly those belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST).
“The time has come when the entire society wants RSS and has expectations from it ... To fulfil these expectations, the organisation must be expanded. RSS will expand ‘shakhas’ in every village...We will reach out to the people,” the RSS chief said while addressing the cadres at the ‘Rashtra Raksha Sangam’, the four-day meet of top functionaries that began in Kanpur.
At the RSS ‘manthan’ (brainstorming session), its top leaders are likely to discuss the BJP’s debacle in the Delhi Assembly polls and prepare a strategy for elections in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and galvanise the cadres to works towards BJP victory.
The closed-door meetings could also see leaders discussing issues such as the Ram temple in Ayodhya, ‘love jihad’ and conversion.
Asking the RSS volunteers to work towards uniting the Hindu society, which was core job of the organisation, Mr. Bhagwat said this could not be achieved only through bhashan (speeches).
“It has to be brought into practice. What is the meaning of RSS shakha? ...We come together and forget everything else. Only bhagwa (saffron flag) is in front of us and that is the symbol of pride,” he added.