PUTTUR: Not much has changed with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), founded by Keshvav Baliram Hedgewar with a few friends in 1925. But a decision taken at a meeting of the ideological outfit at Jalgaon in Maharashtra towards the end of last year is getting reflected in the ganvesh (uniform) that forms an essential part of the RSS . It is in the process of giving up its natural leather belt for a synthetic one.Another change that the RSS leadership wants to bring in is to replace the leather shoes with synthetic one. Both these changes will be implemented in a phased manner, RSS national executive committee member Ram Madhav said. He said it was being done keeping in mind the feelings expressed by the RSS swayamsevaks. A large number of swayamsevaks were not comfortable wearing the leather belt and this has prompted our decision, it was stated.RSS insiders said the move to switch over to synthetic belt was only the third major change in the ganvesh since the organisation was set up. “During all the 86 years of RSS existence, a leather belt held a swayamsevak’s trademark loose, khaki half-pants. Many of our members have strong views on slaughtering of cattle from where raw material for leather belt comes and it was natural that we take cognizance of their feelings,” Ram Madhav said.Given the fact that the RSS has nearly 60 million swayamsevaks, the switch over to synthetic belt will not be an easy task. “The swayamsevaks who are joining us of late are purchasing the synthetic version of the trade mark brownish belt with a broad buckle that holds their khaki half-pants,” an RSS swayamsevak in the know of things told STOI. The switch over to synthetic belts would take some time and has not been imposed on swayamsevaks.This switch over will reduce dependency of RSS on a Kanpur-based manufacturer for supply of leather belts. The Sangh had always put the condition that leather used in belts should not be of slaughtered animals. “The availability of synthetic options will end our dependence on one manufacturer as we will be able to source from different suppliers,” Manmohan Vaidya, prachar pramukh of RSS, told this paper in December on the proposed change.