In New Delhi, as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) prepares to celebrate its centenary from Vijayadashami 2025 to 2026, BJP Minority Morcha National President Jamal Siddiqui has urged President Droupadi Murmu to award the Bharat Ratna—India’s top civilian honor—to RSS founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar after his death.
Siddiqui, in a letter to the President, praised Hedgewar as a dedicated freedom fighter and nation builder whose work shaped modern India. “I humbly request that Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar receive the Bharat Ratna posthumously,” the letter states. “This isn’t just about honoring his huge contributions—it’s about inspiring young people with his strong sense of nationalism.”
Siddiqui pointed out Hedgewar’s bold early life. As a schoolboy under British rule, he shouted “Vande Mataram” slogans. While studying medicine in Kolkata, he joined the revolutionary Anushilan Samiti and drew motivation from icons like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Veer Savarkar.
Hedgewar faced jail twice for his activism—first in 1921 on sedition charges, then in 1930 during the Jungle Satyagraha. He stayed committed, once declaring, “India belongs to Indians; we demand complete independence.”
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Siddiqui called the Bharat Ratna a fitting tribute for Hedgewar. “It’s a small way to say thank you to such a great soul—like offering flowers in respect,” he said. “I’ve written to both the President and Prime Minister. I’m sure the government will recognize his legacy.”
Would the opposition back this push for Bharat Ratna for Hedgewar? Siddiqui thinks so. “They should—Hedgewar served the nation,” he replied. “Without his vision, India might have split like Pakistan. He gave us a force to stay united.”
Siddiqui also credited the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for building a strong, undivided India. “Some parties can’t even hold their own families together, but RSS volunteers—hundreds of thousands of them—work like soldiers, protecting and serving the country not just at borders, but everywhere in society.”
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