The issue of a sartorial makeover of RSS Swayamsevaks — with their ubiquitous plaited khaki shorts giving way to full pants — would be on the table of the highest decision-making body of the outfit in its three-day meeting, beginning March 11 at Nagaur, Rajasthan.
The possibility of a ‘part change’ in the dress code of Swayamsevaks isn’t being ruled out as the RSS’ Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS ) goes into a huddle.
The dress-makeover for the RSS workers has been under consideration for the last “few years” but no final decision was taken with the old guards sticking to the knee-length shorts which had given RSS (workers) a distinct identity since 1925 when it was established in Nagpur.
As the RSS is moving from the Mandal level to villages from 2016 and roping in new-age technocrats, IT and other urban professionals in metropolises, a view is gaining ground that the ‘ganvesh’ (uniform) should also reflect the “new age”. The RSS ‘Shakhas’ in mega cities are now largely permitted to allow professionals of both the genders to sit together.
The number of RSS shakhas has increased by 10,413 in 5161 new places during the last three years. “This increase in Shakhas is approximately 25 per cent compared to those in 2012,” informed Bhaiyyaji Joshi (Suresh Joshi) , ‘Sarkaryavaha’, during last year’s ABPS on March 13.
At present, there are 51,330 Shakhas at 33,222 places, 12,847 Saptahik Milans and 9,008 ‘Sangh Mandalis’. The number of Shakhas of young students is 6,077. “Total places reached out are 55,010,” according to the RSS.
Sources, however, said the black cap would continue to be the part of the RSS uniform without any change though there has been a talk about replacing it with a trendy one.
Nevertheless, the ‘Khaki-shorts’ may give way to a full pant to be worn by ‘Swayamsevaks’ attending the ‘Shakhas’.
Around 2010-11, RSS had made the first change in the dress by giving up its leather belt for a synthetic one in deference to sentiments of a section of its workers who were strongly inimical to wearing a product borne out of slaughtering of cattle. Similarly,leather shoes were substituted with synthetic ones.
These minor but sensitive changes, however, did not lead further to a major dress transformation for RSS workers. Introduction of full pants would be a long leap in the conservative house of Sangh.
The RSS shorts have been worn by several top BJP leaders during key Sangh functions particularly at the annual October Vijaya Dashami progamme in Nagpur.
last year, Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister attended the ‘Vijaya Dashami ‘ function in khaki shorts, white shirt, belt and cap the first Maharashtra CM to do so even as he was given company by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, also dressed as a ‘Swayamsevak’.
“Besides Swayamsevaks, women, though not as much visible, also form part of RSS by the name of ‘Rashtriya Sevika Samiti’ (established in 1936), playing an “important role during partition and thereafter,” said a senior functionary. The founder of the RSS KB Hedgewar was quoted as saying ‘their role is equal to men or more important’.
The women’s dress-white seven-yard cloth or salwar-kameez-dupatta with pink stripes thrown around- would remain unchanged.