<p>As it gears for its centenary celebrations at the end of 2024, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/rss" target="_blank">Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh </a>is inching closer to its plan of having its presence across 1 lakh locations. Leaders of the saffron outfit said that they have been working on increasing their influence, and till now, there are over 85,000-odd shakhas. </p>.<p>Leaders said that as part of the outfit’s last three-year plan, which sets in motion its activities, it was decided by the RSS’s centenary year in 2024, 1 lakh shakhas should be in existence. However, Covid dented their plans. </p>.<p>“We now have over 85,000 shakhas across 60,000 locations, some of which are weekly shakhas. Due to the Covid pandemic, we have not been able to expand as per our plans, but the aim now is to reach 1 lakh by 2025,” said a senior functionary. </p>.<p>The focus of the RSS now is to increase their mandal-level footprint. A mandal, as per the RSS hierarchy, consists of 7-8 villages or 3-4 gram panchayats. The RSS has plans to reach out to all the country’s mandals — as of now they are present across 50 per cent of mandals, said the functionary. </p>.<p>“Right now, we have a presence in more than 50 per cent of the mandals, and these are spread out across all the 28 states and 8 union territories. We also plan to have a presence across all the villages in the country by 2025,” the functionary said. </p>.<p>The RSS’s centenary celebrations, scheduled to be held during its 2024 Dussehra celebrations, and though unconfirmed, there is speculation that the celebrations could be held in Kashmir.</p>.<p>Ahead of its 100 years of existence, the saffron outfit has been working at being seen as an inclusive entity. It has been carrying out concerted efforts to reach out to the Muslim community, holding both talks with influential leaders and pravas in Muslim-dominated areas. Recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on casteism created a furore among a section of people, with the outfit releasing a clarification later. </p>
<p>As it gears for its centenary celebrations at the end of 2024, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/rss" target="_blank">Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh </a>is inching closer to its plan of having its presence across 1 lakh locations. Leaders of the saffron outfit said that they have been working on increasing their influence, and till now, there are over 85,000-odd shakhas. </p>.<p>Leaders said that as part of the outfit’s last three-year plan, which sets in motion its activities, it was decided by the RSS’s centenary year in 2024, 1 lakh shakhas should be in existence. However, Covid dented their plans. </p>.<p>“We now have over 85,000 shakhas across 60,000 locations, some of which are weekly shakhas. Due to the Covid pandemic, we have not been able to expand as per our plans, but the aim now is to reach 1 lakh by 2025,” said a senior functionary. </p>.<p>The focus of the RSS now is to increase their mandal-level footprint. A mandal, as per the RSS hierarchy, consists of 7-8 villages or 3-4 gram panchayats. The RSS has plans to reach out to all the country’s mandals — as of now they are present across 50 per cent of mandals, said the functionary. </p>.<p>“Right now, we have a presence in more than 50 per cent of the mandals, and these are spread out across all the 28 states and 8 union territories. We also plan to have a presence across all the villages in the country by 2025,” the functionary said. </p>.<p>The RSS’s centenary celebrations, scheduled to be held during its 2024 Dussehra celebrations, and though unconfirmed, there is speculation that the celebrations could be held in Kashmir.</p>.<p>Ahead of its 100 years of existence, the saffron outfit has been working at being seen as an inclusive entity. It has been carrying out concerted efforts to reach out to the Muslim community, holding both talks with influential leaders and pravas in Muslim-dominated areas. Recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on casteism created a furore among a section of people, with the outfit releasing a clarification later. </p>
