2004 - Indian Social Institute

the recruitment level of swayamsevaks is falling. And the fact that a group of Mumbai-based psychologists
has said that bachelorhood induces cyn icism in pracharaks after they cross 50 has forced the
organisation to consider scrapping the family clause. Reports also say wives of pracharaks will be
deployed in rural areas to work for the RSS.
The psychologists, who were hired by the RSS to study the behaviour of pracharaks, said they tended to
become reclusive in mid-life and could not integrate with the mainstream. RSS leaders who met twice
recently — in Raipur and Nagpur—reported ly discussed the issue and concluded that this was harming
the organisa tion. Sangh spokesperson Ram Mad-hav, however, denied reports that a di lution of the rule
was on the cards. (Hindustan Times 24.7.04)
25 th July
Ideological slip in RSS makeover (26)
New Delhi, July 24: THE DECISION of the RSS to change the dress code of its volunteers from khaki half
pants to full pants and to allow its pracharaks to get married seems to be a direct admission by the top
brass that ideology is no longer the main attraction for its supporters.
The RSS ideology — underlining Hindu nationalism as enunciated by successive chiefs like Hedgewar,
Golwalkar, Deoras and Rajju Bhaiya — appears to have taken a back seat with the organisation finding it
difficult to attract dedicated workers. In fact, there's been a role reversal of sorts be tween the RSS and
BJP. While earlier the Sangh had considerable influence over the B JP, it is the BJP's cosmetic
dimensions that seem to have rubbed off on the RSS. An element of contradiction has also crept in.
Because on the one hand the RSS wants to increase the number of its shakhas all over the country but on
the other it believes not too many people are attracted to the organisation at the moment. Hence the need
to change the dress code and allow pracharaks to marry (Hindustan Times 25.7.04)
28 th July
Pushed by RSS, BJP works on return to Hindutva (26)
NEW DELHI, JULY 27: A T THE behest of the RSS leadership, the BJP's four-day chintan baithak in Goa
from July 30 to August 2 is slated to work out a detailed blueprint on how to implement the parry's
post-election decision to return to Hindutva — a line first enunciated at the BJP national executive in
Mumbai last month. The RSS, which has decided to re-establish full ideological and or ganisational control
over the BJP after the 2004 poll, has directed the BJP leadership to undertake a seri ous exercise to put in
place the "back to basics" line tentatively worked out at Mumbai. Unlike the Mumbai national executive
which was attended by close to 200 dele gates, the Goa meet will be a closed-door session involving just
30-odd senior BJP leaders.
The agenda before the meeting includes "strengthening the party's ideological orientation", learning
lessons from the 2004 verdict and working out how "to move for ward", party chief Venkaiah Naidu said
today. According to sources, RSS gen eral secretary Mohan Bhagwat has conveyed to the top BJP
leadership that the party must go in for a thor ough "course correction" in the realm of "ideology,
organisation and idealism". The word "ideal ism" in RSS parlance refers to be haviour and lifestyle, and
there is repeated exhortation to the party brass to move away from "five-star culture". The RSS leaders,
who held their own brain-storming session at Nagpur earlier this month, are con vinced that one major
reason the BJP lost the general elections was because it moved away from its "moorings". As one RSS
member said: "The Congress and the Left carried out a fierce ideological campaign against us during the
elections, but the BJP shied away from ideological issues and talked only of governance." (Indian Express
28.7.04)
1st Aug
JD(U) threatens to quit NDA over Hindutva (26)
New Delhi, July 31: AS THE BJP leadership contemplates a re turn to hardcore Hindu ideology at its
chintan baithak in Goa, the JD(U) has warned it will break off ties with the saffron party if it makes any
such move. The issue was hotly debated at the JD(U)'s two-day national executive meeting, which began
here on Saturday Many members ex pressed unhappiness over the continuing al liance with the BJP, which
they felt was moving back towards its earlier Hindutva avtaar under pressure from the RSS. "If they return
to the old agenda (Hindutva), we will not be with them. There cannot be any two opinions on this," senior
JD(U) leader Digvijay Singh told mediapersons out side the session. Singh said his party would stand by