At the meet on Saturday, while a decision to replace the shorts was taken, a section of the members wanted to revisit the decision about the colour of the trousers.
Highlights
- RSS decides to replace its trademark khaki shorts with trousers instead
- Many RSS cadres felt current uniform was deterring youth from joining
- Some cadres want to revisit decision on proposed grey-coloured trousers
A 90-year-old tradition is about to become history. The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh or the RSS, BJP's ideological mentor, got its 'Pracharak' into the Prime Minister's office in 2014. Today at a meeting of its top decision making body, the Sangh decided to shed its old image. The khaki shorts which have symbolised the Sangh for decades will be soon replaced by trousers.
The Khaki shorts along with a black cap, white shirt, brown socks and bamboo stick have been the 'ganvesh' or the trademark uniform of the RSS. The renowned knee-length khaki shorts that the Sangh cadres have worn for generations will now make way for grey-coloured trousers.
At the meet on Saturday, while a decision to replace the shorts was taken, a section of the members wanted to revisit the decision about the colour of the trousers.
"The Khaki colour symbolised service. A section feels the Sangh should not ignore the political symbolism. For example blue is identified with Dalits," said a senior functionary.
An RSS leader who spoke to NDTV said that while the "switch to trousers is final, a discussion on colour may take place again", adding, "the implementation will take place later".
The change is aimed to attract the youth, who the Sangh feels had stopped getting attracted to the RSS mainly due to the uniform.
But this will not be the first change in the RSS 'ganavesh'. In 2011, the Sangh had decided to do away with the leather belts. They were replaced by those made of thick canvas.
This is one of the biggest sartorial shifts in the RSS uniform since the World War I. Before that the shirts and shorts were both khaki designed by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the first Sarsangchalak of the RSS.
The switch to white shirts from khaki came in 1940 to beat the diktat of the British government which had banned the RSS 'ganvesh' and its route marches. During Emergency, the RSS dropped its military-style long boots for black shoes.
A section of elders was against the change fearing loss of identity, to whom, shorts were part of the RSS identity, the Sangh's branding. Those backing the change argued that the organisation needs to change with the times and take into account what today's youth thinks.
As a compromise the old and the new have worked out a compromise. The trousers and the rest of the ganavesh items will be the uniform for all ceremonies. But those attending daily shakhas will be allowed to wear the Khaki shorts. "The idea is to keep those who identify with the shorts engaged," a senior regional in-charge of the RSS said.
The change has come after almost 10 years of debate and survey. A 12-member team of RSS' central executive members along with regional chiefs toured the country and collected opinion on the ground. The committee submitted its report at the session of the All India Pratinidhi Sabha, being held in Nagaur near Bikaner in Rajasthan.
Interestingly, the domestic Sangh uniform will now be on the same page as that of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, the international wing of the RSS, which has been wearing trousers instead of shorts for decades.