Coronavirus forces RSS to call off annual meet

In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has suspended the annual meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, its top decision-making body, that was scheduled to start in Bengaluru from Sunday.

ABPS' meeting is held once every year.

This year's meeting was scheduled to be held between March 15 and 17.

"In view of the seriousness of the pandemic Covid-19 and in the light of instructions and advisories issued by the Union and state governments, the meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, which had been scheduled in Bangaluru has been suspended," a statement issued on Saturday by RSS general secretary Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi said.

"All swayamsevaks should cooperate with the administration to create awareness among the public and to face this challenge successfully," he added.

An RSS functionary said that the decision to "postpone" the meeting was taken on Friday in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

"This year, around 1,500 RSS functionaries were supposed to take part in the meeting. They had already started gathering at the programme venue in Bengaluru. But now, they have been told about the postponement of the programme," he added.