Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi on Wednesday released a special commemorative stamp and coin to mark the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) centenary celebrations.
In New Delhi for the event, the Prime Minister highlighted the party’s achievements and contributions, and said the stamp and coin are dedicated to it.
“This is the first time in the history of India that Bharat Mata’s image has been carved onto a coin,” he said.
The coin also has the RSS’ moto: ‘Rashtray Swaha, Idam Rashtraya, Idam Na Mama’, which translates to, “Everything is dedicated to the nation, Everyhting is the nation’s, Nothing is mine”.
“The ₹100 coin features the national emblem on one side and on the other side it depicts a majestic image of Bharat Mata in Varada Mudra with a lion, while swayamsevaks are shown bowing before her in devotion and dedication,” PM Modi said.
“Tomorrow is Vijayadashmi, a festival which symbolises the victory of good over evil, victory of justice over injustice, victory of truth over falsehoods, and victory of light over darkness… The establishment of RSS on Dussehra 100 years ago was not just a coincidence.
This was resurrection of a tradition which was continuing since thousands of years. We are lucky to be witnessing centenary of the Sangh,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that the RSS has been “striving to build the nation” since its inception, and that the various organisations that are affiliated with it also cater to the needs of the society.
Despite the RSS having different wings, he added, there has never been a clash, nor has the organisation displayed any bitterness in spite of several attacks on it because “every part of the organisation believes and strives for one objective: Nation First”.
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“The Sangh has fought against the atrocities of the British. Their only interest has always been love towards the nation,” the PM said, adding that Sangh volunteers gave shelter to freedom fighters and its leaders were also jailed during the freedom struggle.
The prime minister said there have been numerous attempts to crush the spirit of the RSS by levelling allegations and registering false cases.
“The RSS has never been bitter, despite attempts to make false cases against them, attempts to ban them, and other challenges, because we are part of society where we accept both the good and the bad,” he said, in an apparent reference to the ban on the RSS after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
PM Modi said even the then RSS chief, Madhav Golwalkar, was falsely implicated in a case and sent to jail.
“Yet, when he came out, he said with calm wisdom: ‘At times, the tongue may get caught under the teeth, but we do not break teeth’.”
Highlighting the Sangh’s role in nation-building, he said every ‘swayamsevak’ has unflinching trust in democracy and constitutional institutions, which gave them strength when faced with challenges.
Its goal, said the PM, is to reach every corner of the country to foster harmony by removing divisions of caste or creed and spreading the message of an inclusive society.
Asserting the RSS’ belief in ‘One India, Great India’ motto, he said post-Independence, attempts were made to prevent it from joining the national mainstream, which failed.
“Unity in diversity has always been the soul of India, if this principle is broken then India will weaken. Despite challenges, the RSS stands strong and is tirelessly serving the nation,” he added.
The centenary celebrations were organised by the Ministry of Culture and attended by RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Founded in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS was established as a volunteer-based organisation with an aim to foster cultural awareness, discipline, service and social responsibility among citizens.
PM Modi was himself an RSS ‘pracharak’ and made a mark as an able organiser before being shifted to the BJP, which draws its ideological inspiration from the Hindutva organisation.