Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is ready to wear trousers

The hemlines are coming down. No, we’re not talking about winter fashion, but the 80-year-old dress code at the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). In the wave of change sweeping through the organisation, the uniform will also be given a new look.

RSS officials told DNA that a new uniform would be in by March and long trousers, instead of shorts, is one of the changes proposed. “The uniform was a way of fostering a sense of belonging. We now find that younger people who may be attracted to RSS ideology keeping away because of the uniform,” said a senior office-bearer.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said that the organisation was doing its bit to attract a younger, more professional demographic but did not say anything about the uniform. “Whenever people talk of the RSS, they invariably mention the shorts. That is not the issue, the real deal is to bring in all demographics to the shakhas and we are a dynamic young organisation with a tested ideology,” he said.

Indoor shakhas held in the evening instead of early morning is another change being made. Blogs and social networking sites have also been set up. “Some of the shakhas are online, with members meeting in the evenings, this has been especially successful in Kolkata and Bangalore,” said a source.

RSS enrolments had dipped in comparison to the BJP in the last few years. RSS office-bearers hope the new makeover turns the tide.