New Delhi, March 15 – The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has called for peace amid tensions in West Asia while also outlining plans to expand its organizational presence across the country as it approaches its 100th year, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Sunday.
Addressing the media during the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) meeting, Hosabale said the organization hopes that the ongoing conflicts in West Asia will soon end and emphasized the need for peace.
“Whatever is happening is not peaceful. Our organization wants peace in the world. In the country where you live and work, you should contribute to that country. Wars happen for many reasons, but we want them to end soon, and we want peace,” he said.
He also said that the Indian government is taking steps in accordance with the country’s national interest.
“The Indian government is trying and helping as much as possible, and whatever is in the supreme interest of the nation is being done,” he added.
Responding to questions regarding tensions and agitation following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, Hosabale said expressions of grief should remain peaceful.
“If people want to mourn, it should be done peacefully. It is India’s tradition that after death, no one is an enemy, and the RSS has always said that if someone expresses sorrow after death, it should be done peacefully without promoting unrest,” he said.
Speaking about organizational matters, the RSS general secretary said the Sangh has been focusing on expanding its activities across the country as it nears completion of 100 years.
“As the Sangh approaches 100 years, we decided at the organizational level that there should be an RSS branch and a weekly meeting across the entire country. At present, 88,949 branches are functioning at 55,683 locations,” he said.
Hosabale also explained the structure of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha and the process through which its members are selected.
“It is a matter of joy that the Akhil Bharatiya Representative Assembly session is being held for the second time in this complex. According to the Sangh’s system, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Representative Assembly are elected or appointed for a term of three years. Some are elected, while others are appointed,” he said.
He added that the organization regularly evaluates its work from both organizational and social perspectives.
“From an organizational perspective, we considered two points, and from a social perspective, three points. From an organizational viewpoint, regarding the expansion of the Sangh’s activities across the country and in various geographical regions, we have worked over the past years to increase the number of branches, weekly meetings, and daily gatherings. Progress has been achieved in this regard,” Hosabale said.
Clarifying how the Sangh categorizes its operational areas, he said the organization has specific definitions for locations in rural and urban regions.
“I am explaining this briefly because, from the Sangh’s terminology perspective, there are specific ways to define locations. Currently, in rural areas, we have identified 55 locations. In urban areas, a city -- especially a Mahanagar (metropolitan area) -- may include five or eight towns, which together are considered a single location,” he said.
On possible organizational restructuring, Hosabale said any changes would be formally announced.
“If there is any change in responsibilities, it will be announced,” he said.
The remarks came during the ongoing meeting of the RSS’s top decision-making body, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha. The key three-day meeting began earlier on Friday in Samalkha in Haryana, where senior leaders reviewed the organization’s work over the past year and discussed plans.
The meeting was inaugurated earlier on Friday by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, along with General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.
From the RSS’s organizational perspective, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha is the apex decision-making body of the Sangh, where major policy decisions and future strategies are discussed.