Bengaluru: Contrary to the predictions of social scientists that increasing globalisation could turn young Indians away from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu right wing organisation claims it has been attracting a large number of people in the 16 to 40 age group over the last decade.
Speaking to reporters here, the regional head of the RSS in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, V. Nagaraj, revealed that Bengaluru city alone had 147 shakhas dedicated to techies. Besides this over 700 Bala Sanskara Kendras have been set up in apartments to give sanskara to children of working couples. And last year over a lakh people participated in our first year training programme called prathamika shiksha varga and around 17,500 participated in the 20-day annual coaching programme," he said.
RSS insiders too claim their organisation is taking strong root in new urban pockets, where the intense caste divide of rural areas is blurred and people, who dislike being identified by caste, prefer a more nationalistic profile.
Also, ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, more people were trying understand what the RSS was all about, according to them. "The number of young people keeping track of our websitehas gone up of late," they said.
RSS bosses condemn jihad in Bengal
The annual meeting of the RSS's top decision- making body, the Akhila Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, held in Coimbatore between March 19 and 21, passed a resolution condemning jihadi activities in West Bengal. While also coming down hard on the attacks on Muslims, it urged the West Bengal government and the Centre to ensure law and order in the state, going by the regional head of the RSS in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, V. Nagaraj. The meet later paid tribute to prominent personalities like former Supreme Court judge, Altamas Kabir, RSP leader, V.P. Ramakrishna Pillai and Socialist, Vishwambharanam , who have passed away. "This is nothing new. We have a tradition of paying tribute to towering personalities, including CPIM leaders," Mr Nagaraj said.
