india

Updated: Mar 13, 2016 19:16 IST

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday took what may be its most significant decision in decades. It dropped its trademark khaki shorts for a pair of suave brown trousers.

Making the declaration on the final day of the Pratinidhi Sabha, the organisation’s highest decision-making body, RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi dubbed it as part of their decision to “move with the times”.

Why brown, though? Joshi didn’t elaborate: “There is no specific reason… it’s commonly available and looks good.”

Not many in the Sangh seemed happy with the idea. Though Joshi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had pushed for a similar change in 2010, they were forced to back down in the face of overwhelming opposition from their colleagues.

Nevertheless, in a situation where the old-world sevaks saw red, twitterati found a treasure-trove of potential wisecracks.

“The short, not the long of it is that the RSS is worried about below-the-waist issues, not the brain or the heart,” tweeted Scharada Dubey, apparently gleeful over how pun-worthy the whole matter was.

The short, not the long of it is that the RSS is worried about below the waist issues, not the brain or the heart. #ChaddiNahiSochBadlo — scharada dubey (@scharada_d) 13 March 2016

Saral Patel, on the other hand, chose to view the development from the mirror of reverse-sexism. “Day by day, RSS is becoming more & more regressive. First they had a problem with women wearing shorts & now with men (too),” he tweeted.

Day by day RSS is becoming more & more regressive. First they had problem with women wearing shorts & now with men. #ChaddiNahiSochBadlo — Saral Patel™ ? (@PatelSaral007) 12 March 2016

Sagar #With RG seemed to think that the Sangh’s gesture of “moving with the times” is only fabric-deep. “After 90 years RSS changed their Khaki chaddi. Hope they will change their thinking as well.”

#RSS4India

After 90 years RSS changed their Khaki chaddi. Hope they will change their thinking as well. #ChaddiNahiSochBadlo — Sagar #WithRG (@sagarmain7291) 13 March 2016

Others like Sanjay Hegde and Vanaja Wilson felt that the step was long overdue. “So the 90-year-old RSS drops khaki shorts to don brown full pants. Growing up at last?” enquired Hegde mischievously, while Wilson endorsed the ‘Soch Badlo aur Chaddi bhi’ philosophy with tongue lodged firmly in cheek.

So the 90 year old RSS drops khaki shorts to don brown full pants. Growing up at last? — SANJAY HEGDE (@sanjayuvacha) 13 March 2016

Would prefer "Soch Badlo aur Chaddi bhi". Let's be honest, oversized Khaki Chaddis on Sanghis, hardly looks impressive?? #ChaddiNahiSochBadlo — Vanaja Wilson (@wilson_vanaja) 12 March 2016

And then there were others like Kanika Gahlaut, who couldn’t see the declaration making any kind of fashion sense. “RSS moving from knickers to pant-shirt seen as ‘moving with times’? In which era was khaki skirt-knickers hot fashion trend for men, pray?” she tweeted.