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4 Dec, 2014

The rise of India’s Saffron brigade – The Hindu

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat set the target of one crore volunteers and one lakh Shakhas in five years’ time at a three-day youth camp in early November in Agra. The Sangh has been working hard on getting these numbers. The rigorous daily Shakha has a weekly avatar — the IT Milan for IT, management and other professionals in metros. Delhi has 36 IT Milans, Bangalore more than 100. The Sangh and its affiliates have significant online presence and even a mobile app for information on Shakhas and allied activities.

“The ultimate aim is Hindu Rashtra. We are working on the ways to achieve this goal and to stop appeasement of a select few communities,” said Virag Pachpore, in charge of the RSS’s minority wing, Muslim Rastriya Manch (MRM).

Since the Narendra Modi government came to power, the Sangh has launched a multi-pronged approach to propagating its ideas, often with the help of the government. The national broadcaster, Doordarshan, airing the RSS chief’s Vijayadashami speech on October 4 live was one such instance. The Sarsanghchalak’s address is the biggest annual affair in the RSS meant to show the path ahead to swayamsevaks, but this time, with the Doordarshan platform available, Mr. Bhagwat chose to address society at large.

Read the rest: The rise of the Saffron brigade – The Hindu.