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The RSS: India’s Shadow Giant Operates Beyond the Books

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India’s most influential Hindu nationalist organization, is a colossus with a curious trait: it thrives in the shadows of formal governance. Founded in 1925 by K.B. Hedgewar, the RSS boasts an estimated 4–6 million volunteers and 57,000 local branches, or shakhas, across India. Yet it operates without the legal trappings typical of such a behemoth—no formal registration, no income tax filings, no membership rosters. This opacity, critics argue, is not just a quirk but a deliberate shield for its vast influence.

Unlike most organizations of its scale, the RSS is not registered under India’s Societies Registration Act, Trusts Act, or   Companies Act. It exists as an unregistered voluntary body, a structure that frees it from mandatory disclosures while allowing it to orchestrate a network of affiliates, from schools to political outfits like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2017, when a third party tried to register a similar name, the RSS claimed it was an “already registered all-India body”—a puzzling assertion given its lack of statutory recognition.

Nor does the RSS file income tax returns. As an unregistered entity, it faces no obligation to report under the Income Tax Act. Its funding, drawn from voluntary donations and member contributions, flows through informal channels or affiliated trusts, like Vidya Bharati, which runs thousands of schools. This arrangement has long drawn scrutiny, especially during the RSS’s bans in 1948, 1975, and 1992, when governments flagged its role in communal tensions. Yet no public record of its finances exists, leaving questions about transparency unanswered.

Membership, too, is a matter of faith, not paperwork. Anyone can join a shakha without fees or forms, becoming a swayamsevak (volunteer) through attendance alone. The RSS keeps no centralized records, estimating its millions-strong base from shakha turnout. This informality fosters inclusivity but obscures accountability, a trade-off that suits its ideological mission: building a disciplined Hindu society.

Supporters laud this lean model as a strength, enabling the RSS to focus on cultural revival over bureaucratic entanglement. Critics, however, see a calculated dodge, allowing unchecked influence over India’s social and political fabric. As the RSS marks its centenary, its shadow looms large—but without records, its full reach remains just out of sight.
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