Sangh surprise: Half of Parivar for women

The RSS leaders, who kept the media at bay, refused to release any brief on the deliberations saying Pratinidhi Sabha is no decision-making body. ‘‘Don’t expect anything till our working committee meets three months later,’’ said a senior RSS leader.

RSS sources said the main aim behind the move is to rope in more women into the Parivar fold. The Sangh has convened a conference at Kanyakumari in September to set out goals on women’s empowerment.

Earlier during the meet, the BJP-led NDA government came under sharp attack for dilution of the Hindutva ideology, forgetting its workers and copying the Congress’ ‘‘five-star culture’’.

A report from Tripura charged the Home Ministry (headed by then deputy prime minister L.K. Advani) of its inability to get RSS activists released from the captivity of extremist groups. Five RSS volunteers were kidnapped and later killed by the outlaws in Tripura during the NDA regime.

Sangh sources said there was complete consensus on giving the BJP a chance to return to Hindutva and become more aggressive on the forces of pseudo-secularism.

The RSS also gave a green signal to the VHP to intensify its movement for construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya and hoped that the BJP would also extend an active support to the cause.

The meet expressed serious concern over religious conversions and called for building-up of a strong movement beside educating the tribals about the ‘‘church’s designs’’. It decided to expand its network of activities in the tribal areas to open more residential schools (Eakal Vidyalyas and Sishu Mandirs), start regular Shakhas, Vanvasi Kalayan Ashrams and mobile medical services.

Other points on its agenda included discussions on the Ram Temple, the UPA government’s attempts to ‘‘de-toxify’’ text books and the country’s economic condition.

Prominent Sangh figures participating in the meet include RSS chief K. Sudershan, secretary general Mohan Bhagwat, veteran RSS ideologue H.V. Sheshadri, Parivar coordinator Madan Dass Devi and VHP’s Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia.