 "RSS drops khaki shorts for trousers")
In an effort to attract more Hindu youth, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) announced on Sunday that it was changing its trademark khaki shorts and, instead, adopting brown trousers as its ganavesh or uniform.
Separately, it called for a survey to ascertain if backward sections of society were actually getting reservations in education and jobs. In a reference to recent agitations by Jats in Haryana and Patels in Gujarat, the RSS said it disapproved of quota demands by "affluent sections."
At a meeting of its decision making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, at Nagaur in Rajasthan, the Sangh announced its much anticipated decision to get rid of the shorts. Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi, the organisation's general secretary and second in the hierarchy, said the decision was also to showcase that the organisation was "not rigid" and could "move with the times." The shorts haven't been popular with many of the younger volunteers.
The meet also discussed recent student protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi and the Hyderabad Central University. And, it expressed concern at "university campuses becoming hotbeds of anti-national activities."
It criticised the bar on entry of women in some temples and termed it as "unfair traditions". However, it advised that attempts should be made to change mindsets through "discussion and dialogue," not agitations.
The RSS also claimed to have increased the number of its 'shakhas' in the past year, from 51,332 in 33,223 places in 2015 to 56,859 shakhas in 36,867 places. It hopes to attract more youth with the change in the uniform, changed in 1940 from khaki shirt and shorts to white shirts and khaki shorts. In 1973, it replaced long boots with leather shoes. "Trousers are a regular feature in today's social life...We are not orthodox," Joshi said. He said these would be so designed as to be comfortable for physical exercise. The brown colour was chosen as it's commonly available and looks good, he added.
The RSS has been trying for a some time to shed the image of a Brahmin-dominated and upper caste outfit. Mohan Bhagwat, its chief had invited controversy in the run-up to the Bihar elections by suggesting a review of the reservation policy. Some in the Bharatiya Janata Party had later blamed these comments as a reason for the party's defeat in those elections last November.
Nuanced policy
Joshi was more nuanced on the policy. He said the meet felt affluent sections of society demanding the benefits of reservations wasn't right. The three-day meet ended with a call for eradicating caste-based discrimination. "There are many backward castes today. It should be studied and discussed whether the deserving castes are getting reservation benefits," Joshi said. Also, that it be a matter of detailed discussion on whether or not the 'creamy layer' system should be there in all categories.
The meeting passed a resolution on social harmony and called for providing access to education and health care to all.
On the controversy over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's cultural programme in Delhi, the general secretary said if there was an issue of the environment, rules should be followed by all. At the same time, systems which bring about change in society will get weakened if only penal measures are used.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh described as a "serious matter" the raising of "anti-national" slogans in JNU. It also slammed Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for comparing it with terrorist outfit Islamic State, saying this exposed his "lack of knowledge" and "intellectual bankruptcy."
| RSS UNIFORM CHANGING WITH TIMES |
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1930: Black caps replace white caps (that were more identified with the Congress) 1940: Khaki shirts and shorts change to white shirts/khaki shorts 1973: Military style long leather boots phased out, regular leather shoes allowed (later black synthetic shoes also allowed) 2015: Leather belts replace canvas belts 2016: Khaki shorts make way for brown trousers Other changes
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