RSS says marriage age is social not legal, let society decide it

Nagpur: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh- RSS –the ideological supporter of ruling BJP, has reportedly not in the same thought with the Centre into the decision to rise the marriageable age of women.

Among other simmering issues related to the politics in the country, the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest body of the RSS, will also discuss the controversy over Hijab wearing when it convenes in March.

For the RSS leadership, the hijab wearing issue could have been sorted out at local levels and should not have let it blow out of proportion.

The existing customs in different tribes and faiths related to marriage should keep in mind when legislation is made on such social system, The Indian Express quoted a senior RSS leader said. The leader suggested that certain values that have been a custom in many faiths for years should be left to society to decide on.

The RSS has also differences with the criminalising the marital rape as the Singh believes it is the family matter and family should be empowered on how to deal with it.

The Sangh also believes that the two issues – the age of marriage and the marital rape – are against its nationwide campaign that focused on strengthening the familial bond, which is under pressure from modern economic compulsions and western influence.

The RSS runs a programme called Kutumb Prabodhan that has the family as the most important unit of society and pushes people to spend at least a day in a week with their larger family and eat together.

The RSS is also of the opinion that the Hijab wearing issues should be sorted out at local levels, which was blown out due to the Popular Front of India's effort to increase its sphere of influence. Sangh also see the consistency in the religious appearance to assert the identity is not good.

While the government has yet not framed rules on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed in 2019, sources said the RSS is committed to both the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country and will continue to push for them.

The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) baithak, which is scheduled to be held during March 11 to 13 in Ahmadabad, will be attended by all top leaders of the RSS, representatives from regions across the country and over 30 associated organisations.

The RSS that claimed to have 55,000 daily shakhas across the country is looking to increase the number to 1 lakh. Focusing on youth and professionals, the RSS has also started night shakhas that start at 9.30 pm, and weekly meetings.