The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) distributed ration kits to 73 lakh people and food packets to about 45 lakh people during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) National Joint General Secretary Manmohan Vaidya on Friday.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion of RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) organised at Bengaluru, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) National Joint General Secretary Manmohan Vaidya said that the RSS distributed rations to more than 73 lakh people and nearly 5 crore people were given food packets during the ‘Sewa Bharti’ work undertaken by the nationalist organisation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the event, Vaidya also said that RSS distributed more than 90 lakh masks last year during the Covid-19 lockdown period. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Manmohan Vaidya, and other RSS leaders also participated in the programme on Friday.
The RSS conducted humanitarian service at 92,656 places across the country, and more than 5,60,000 active volunteers participated in the service. Speaking to the media, Vaidya also said the RSS helped 20 lakh immigrants who returned to their respective states and helped 2,50,000 travellers during the lockdown.
Shakas have restarted, donation drive for Ram Mandir: RSS leader Vaidya
Manmohan Vaidya also stated that 89 per cent of the Shakas have restarted after restrictions on lockdown were eased across the country. He said that 90% of the RSS karyakartas are youth, out of this, 60% are college students.
The RSS leader also said that the organisation had conducted donation drives for the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. RSS swayamsewaks reached 5.4 lakh places to collect funds for the construction of Ram Mandir. More than 20 lakh Karyakartas contacted 12,47,21,000 people during the donation drive, including in the country’s remotest corners in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The two-day ABPS commenced on 19th March in Bengaluru in the presence of Sah Sarkaryavah Manmohan Vaidya. The delegates in the ABPS also elected senior RSS ideologue Dattatreya Hosabale as the new Sarkaryavaha to replace Suresh Joshi, popularly known as Bhaiyyaji Joshi.
Speaking about the event, Arun Kumar, the Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, said the ABPS in 2020 could not be held due to the corona pandemic. Every year 1,500 delegates attend the ABPS but due to the prevailing situation only 450 are attending this year, he added.
The ABPS will review the work done in the last three years and deliberate on the work to be done in the next three years. It will also discuss the ways to expand the Sangh’s work in the country, Arun Kumar informed.
Speaking on the work during the pandemic, he said that people and volunteers from all walks of life who served the society in their own way came into contact with the Sangh. The ABPS will focus on networking with such people and engage them in a constructive way. ABPS will also deliberate on cultural and social issues.
