Bengaluru, March 23 (IANS) The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has stated that it is focusing on initiating its regular activities in all premier academic institutions across the country and has already begun its work in more than 100 institutes.
Addressing a press conference during the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) held in Bengaluru on Saturday, RSS Joint General Secretary Arun Kumar, while discussing the expansion of the Sangh’s activities, stated, “We realised that what was needed in premier institutes across the country was lacking. We started focusing on these institutions, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), premier research institutes, and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).”
He further announced, “There are 2,009 premier institutes in the country. We have initiated regular work in 134 of them after prioritising our efforts. In the coming days, we plan to expand this work to all 2,009 institutes, with the aim of establishing regular activities. The process has already begun.”
“Ultimately, we aim to become a 100 per cent movement. In this context, we speak of ‘Sarvasparshi’ (inclusion of all) and ‘Sarvavyapi’ (reaching everywhere),” he stated.
As the RSS approaches its centenary, Kumar emphasised the need to refine and accelerate its activities, with speed being a key focus. “Six years ago, we set our targets. Every year, we conduct an analysis of our progress, and by Vijaya Dashami in October 2025, when the centenary celebrations begin, we aim to achieve our goals,” he announced.
“Our goal is to involve more people in daily contributions and to ensure alignment between society’s leaders in economic, social, religious, educational, and intellectual spheres. Since they, like us, are concerned with the welfare of society, we plan to collaborate wherever possible. We have planned our initiatives with this vision in mind,” Kumar said.
He added, “On Sunday, we will share with the media our vision for the centenary of the Sangh, as well as an analysis of the contemporary scenario and our role in it.”
Explaining the expansion of the Sangh’s reach over the decades, Kumar stated, “If one examines the scope of the work undertaken by the Sangh, its uniqueness becomes evident. The RSS began its work in 1925, and by 1940, we had reached all parts of the country. By 1972, we had established our presence in every district. By 1996, we had expanded to every block and city. Currently, we have covered 85 to 90 per cent of the country, and we are rapidly moving towards full coverage.”
He highlighted the Sangh’s efforts in different social strata, saying, “In Odisha’s Koraput division, a predominantly tribal area, we are active in every mandal. A total of 1,031 shakhas (branches) are operational there, and all workers are locals. Similarly, the RSS began its work in Arunachal Pradesh in 1990, and today, our activities have reached every district of the state. While this may sound simple, reaching out to these remote and distinct areas is a significant challenge. It can take four to five days to reach some of these locations, and yet, all our workers are volunteers — there are no paid workers,” Arun Kumar shared.
He further revealed, “In the past year alone, 2 lakh workers have dedicated a minimum of seven days each to expanding the Sangh’s work. We also identified about 2 lakh prominent individuals, including men and women who are societal leaders and hold significant positions at district, state, and national levels. Our goal was to establish contact with them, and in the last year, we successfully reached about 1.5 lakh of them.”
Emphasising the role of women in society, Kumar stated, “Women should play a greater role in social development. In line with this belief, we engaged with active women in society and organised leadership summits for them. Last year, 472 such summits were held, inviting 5.75 lakh socially active, intellectual women who contribute to various fields.”
“When addressing social problems, the focus should be on finding solutions. Merely submitting pleas and making suggestions to the government is not the Sangh’s approach. Our approach is unique. Issues within society should be resolved based on the strength of society itself,” he underlined.
Citing an example, he said, “In Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district, there are children born with fused limbs, making it difficult for them to live normal lives. We brought together doctors and organised meetings to address the issue. Over the last four years, 500 children have undergone corrective surgeries. This is how we approach solutions,” he emphasised.
–IANS
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