Key RSS meeting underway in Kanpur

Ahead of crucial assembly polls, including in Uttar Pradesh, a key five-day meeting of RSS's regional pracharaks is underway here and some organisational leaders of the BJP may participate during the last two days.
As the meeting entered the second day today, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya refuted reports that the BJP's ideological fountainhead can also deliberate over the assembly polls and insisted that it was to discuss the Sangh's affairs and had nothing to do with BJP or elections.
"The media is linking this RSS meeting with BJP which is incorrect. The is a RSS exercise and BJP has nothing to do with it... Sangh is not holding the meeting due to the coming elections," he told reporters.

The meeting, which is being attended by its chief Mohan Bhagwat, started yesterday and will continue till July 15.
In the second phase of the meeting, BJP leaders like Ram Madhav and Ram Lal can participate besides members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, sources said.
Vaidya said people's trust in the RSS was rising and the number of its branches across the country had risen to over 57,000 from about 45,000 in 2010.

The organisation is working to expand into villages to change the "misconception" about it, he said.
Asked about the raging row over controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, he said "what is wrong is wrong".

In the first phase of the meeting from July 11-13, discussions on physical, mental and social interest and on organisation's progress and how new people can be associated with RSS will be held.
Prant pracharak Mohan Lal Aggarwal said the national office bearers of the RSS will participate in the final phase and will review the sessions in the first two phases.