Karnavati, Mar 11: Keeping a focus on an expansion of the organisation's base, a three-day meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) top decision-making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABP), began in Karnavati, Gujarat on Friday. Sarsanghchalak (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat and Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale were also present during the first day of the meeting.

 

 

As per the reports, the meeting will see the participation of nearly 1,200 key leaders or office-bearers from across the country.

 

While addressing the media on the first day of the meeting, Manmohan Vaidya, sah sarkaryavah (joint general secretary) of the RSS, said, "One of the key focus areas of the meeting is an expansion of the organisation's base." He informed that a detailed plan about the expansion of the RSS's base will also be prepared during this three-day meet.

 

Besides, that, other topics which will be discussed include creating harmony in society and promoting organic farming. Vaidya said.

 

 

 

The RSS runs nearly 60,000 daily shakhas (branches) across the country, and 97.5 per cent shakhas have started functioning again after the easing of Covid-19 related restrictions, he said.

 

"Those who attend these 60,000 shakhas constitute 61 per cent of school or college students. This shows that the number of youths taking interest in the RSS is increasing. Ninety-four per cent of the total 2,303 cities in the country have shakhas. It shows that our spread is increasing," Vaidya said.

 

Between 2017 and 2021, as many as 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh persons expressed desire to join the RSS every year, he said, adding that people from Malwa (central India) and West Bengal had sent more requests in comparison to other regions in 2021.

 

"There are 59,000 mandals in the country. Each mandal comprises 10 to 12 villages. In the next two years, the RSS will try to expand its base and work for establishing shakhas in all the mandals. Our work in that direction came to a standstill due to coronavirus. Now we are planning to achieve it during the next two years," the senior RSS functionary said.

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