India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) celebrated its 100th anniversary with vibrant events across the country, especially in Nagpur, on the festive day of Vijayadashami. This timing also marks Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, adding layers of historical significance to the RSS centenary festivities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the RSS’s long-standing commitment to nation-building. In a blog post, he explained how the organization focuses on character-building to strengthen the country. “From individual growth to national progress—that’s the RSS way,” Modi wrote. He praised the daily shakha gatherings as a simple yet powerful tool where volunteers, or swayamsevaks, shift from self-focus to community spirit, fostering personal change.
But the celebrations drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders. They pointed to Gandhi’s legacy and questioned the RSS’s role in India’s freedom struggle. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi went further, claiming no RSS member sacrificed their life during the independence movement.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the RSS and BJP’s ideology “rooted in cowardice.” Speaking at Columbia University’s EIA event, he referenced External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s 2023 comments on China. “They bully the weak but back down from the strong,” Gandhi said. “That’s the BJP-RSS mindset—China’s too powerful, so why fight?”
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat delivered the annual Vijayadashami address in Nagpur, stressing the need for strong individuals to build a united society. He noted how foreign invasions once shattered systems for personal development, but the RSS shakha has revived it over the past century. “Swayamsevaks must join daily shakhas to build discipline and values,” Bhagwat urged. He described shakhas as hubs for nurturing human qualities, social harmony, and active community service. Bhagwat also affirmed that a disciplined Hindu society ensures India’s unity, growth, and security.
During the Nagpur event, Bhagwat paid homage to RSS founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, who started the group in 1925. Former President Ram Nath Kovind joined as the chief guest for the tribute.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin honored Gandhi on his 156th birth anniversary, crediting him for India’s secular foundation. “Gandhi planted the seeds of unity for all faiths, helping us fight hatred and division,” Stalin posted on X. He criticized Modi for releasing a commemorative stamp for the RSS centenary, seeing it as sidelining Gandhi’s ideals.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat accused Modi of glossing over the RSS’s lack of involvement in the freedom struggle during his speech. “It’s a clear attempt to rewrite history,” she said.
Founded in Nagpur by Hedgewar, the RSS began as a volunteer network to promote cultural pride, discipline, and social duty among Indians. As it hits this milestone, debates continue about its place in modern India, blending praise for its grassroots work with ongoing political clashes.
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