New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is revamping its training programme, the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Tuesday, at the end of the bi-annual meeting of its Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM).
Addressing the media on the last day of the three-day meeting held in Gujarat’s Bhuj, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the Sangh will incorporate “more practical training” during its annual training camp. He also told mediapersons that as many as 37 lakh Swayamsevaks (RSS cadres) attend shakhas regularly.
The training programme for workers who attend the camp for the first time will be known as ‘Pramukh’, while for those attending it for the second or the third consecutive year, the programme will be known as ‘Karyakarta Vikas Varg – Pratham’ and ‘Karyakarta Vikas Varg — Dwitiya’ respectively.
The duration of the ‘Pramukh’ training programme will be 15-20 days.
Further, RSS workers part of the training will be made to visit villages where they will learn about the organisation and its various initiatives, he said. He added that the RSS will also provide specialised training to volunteers in their respective areas of interest.
Hosabale also said that RSS workers will go door-to-door between 1 and 15 January next year, gifting a photo of Lord Ram and personally inviting people for the ‘Prana Pratishtha’ (consecration) of the idol of Ram Lalla at the under-construction temple in Ayodhya, slated for 22 January.
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‘Shakha in each mandal’
During their bi-annual meeting, senior leaders of the RSS also deliberated over the idea of setting up at least one ‘shakha’ (branch) in each ‘mandal’.
Hosabale said that the RSS has divided the country’s administrative divisions into 59,000 mandals. Of these, weekly or daily shakhas are held in nearly 38,000 mandals, he added.
During the three-day meeting, senior RSS leaders also held discussions on the organisation’s centenary year in 2025.
According to Hosabale, the RSS will focus on five key aspects: social harmony, family enlightenment, environmental protection, Swadeshi way of living and civic duties.
On external security, he stressed the importance of maintaining a sense of nationalism in Indians living in border villages. “This topic will be discussed further, how to maintain balance with the border security forces and focus on the development of people living in border areas. The villagers living in border areas should be aware. The responsibility of keeping the borders safe does not just lie on those wearing a uniform,” Hosabale said.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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