CHANDIGARH: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is looking to expand women’s participation in its activities and will use its three-day annual general body meeting, which began in Samalkha, near Panipat in Haryana on Sunday, to explore ways to do it.
“There will be discussions in this meeting on increasing women’s participation in social awareness, awakening and social change works of the Sangh,” RSS joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya said, adding that there is a dedicated arm of the Sangh for women—Rashtriya Sevika Samiti—which works for their overall development. The meeting will also see discussions on RSS’ course of action for the next year. The outfit, which will celebrate its centenary year in 2025, plans to increase the number of its shakhas (branches) in the country to one lakh over the next year.
“The work of Sangh has increased in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic,” Vaidya said. Currently, 68,651 shakhas are being organised at 42,613 places, saptahik milan (weekly gatherings) at 26,877 places, and maasik mandali (monthly meetings) at 10,412 places, Vaidya pointed out.
Apart from regular pracharaks (publicists) and vistaraks (expansionists), a team of 1,300 shatabdi vistaraks has been formed to expand the outfit’s activities and reach ahead of the centenary year. “The nation has 911 zilas (districts), and the RSS is active in 901 of them. Similarly, the RSS holds shakhas in 88% of the 6,663 khands, and 26,498 of the 59,326 mandals,” he said.
Tribute to Mulayam, Sharad Yadav
The RSS paid tribute to late Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, socialist leader Sharad Yadav, senior advocate Shanti Bhushan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother Hiraben Modi at its annual general body meeting. Tributes were also paid to actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik, actor Javed Khan Amrohi and singer Vani Jairam at the RSS annual meet at Panipat on Sunday