‘RSS?stands for ‘Dharma’ not for religion; it welcomes non-Hindus too’

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)
February 18, 2016

Mangaluru, Feb 18: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Coordinator of Public Relations Cell (Samparka Pramukh) of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana T S Venkatesh ruled out the charge that only people belonging to upper crust of the society dominate the RSS.

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In an interaction with media persons at Hotel Ocean Pearl in the city on Thursday, he said RSS does not bring in the concept of religion when it comes to the issue of nationalism. “Religion or caste should not be confused for Dharma,” he said.

RSS?stands for Dharma and there is no concept of religion in RSS, he claimed. Once a person becomes an active member of RSS, he is recognised by his service and commitment to the organisation and by the nature of the duty he performs, he added.

He said that though RSS?is basically a Hindu organisation, it welcomes people from other religions provided they are willing to work for the cause of country. Once they become the RSS members, they have to respect the national song and abide by the discipline, he said.

RSS basically considers all Indians as Hindus, but the question is whether the counterparts also think the same, he said.

Venkatesh said RSS hols 55,000 daily shakhas, 13,000 weekly Milans and 9,000 monthly congregations. About 80,000 members take part in training camps and the organisation has 60 lakh active members, he explained.

He said that through its shakha, RSS propagates faith on the value of nationalism, cultivates discipline and provides exposure to current affairs of national importance to its members.

It has been taking up voluntary works during natural calamities and has been carrying out various projects such as Gram Vikas, Parivar Prabodhan, Paryavaran Samrakshan for rural development, propagation of family values and environment conservation respectively, he said.

Venkatesh said RSS’ flagship organisations like Hindu Seva Pratishthana, Rastrottana Parishat and Keshava Seva Samithi render social service through volunteers.

Social service rendered by volunteers through its flagship organisations such as he said.

Responding to a query, he said the RSS?accumulates funds from its Swayamsevaks or volunteers, irrespective of the organisation they belong to.

When a person is an RSS member, it is not important whether the person is a farmer or a worker in a corporate company. It does not interfere in the internal affairs of political parties such as allotment of tickets to candidates for elections, he said.

While clarifying that RSS opposes any sort of anti-national move, he said it could be agreed if some people are protesting against the government but, if they are protesting against the country, it is not acceptable. The act of students of JNU of raising anti-national slogans is condemnable, he said.

The commitment of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh towards the protection of cattle, is mistaken, he said and added that RSS has been undertaking initiatives to preserve the local breeds of cattle.

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Comments

HONEST
 - 
Saturday, 20 Feb 2016

Let them Hoist National Flag in cheddi HQ and sing national anthem... Cheddis are very clever in deceiving people ... and the people are very WEAK in understanding this DECEPTION>>>
They are against Communist
They are against Christians
They are against Muslims
They are against Dalits
They dont like more than 75% of population of India... Why dont WE recognize this deception of playing with the words. Better cheddis should leave india rather than asking others to stay to their arrogance.

Ahmed
 - 
Friday, 19 Feb 2016

He says they welcome other religion people also. Same time he puts a condition saying that once you join RSS you have to respect national song. He does not say anything about national anthem. Since when National song became greater than national Anthem???? He knows very well that with this condition, he can keep Muslims away from RSS.

Suresh
 - 
Friday, 19 Feb 2016

Where is sangeet som. Please go and clarify him what you mean by cattle protection of local breed. Who have 3 factories which exports to middle east

Curious
 - 
Friday, 19 Feb 2016

Rss stands for Rashtra Sarwochha Shathru it's a open terrorism in the name of Rashtra.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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News Network
December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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