Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a soulful article on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Greeting millions of volunteers, the Prime Minister described the organization as “the holy avatar of eternal national consciousness”. He said that the RSS, established on the day of Vijayadashami in 1925, represents the centuries -old tradition of national awakening which re -emerges to face the challenges of every era. The Prime Minister said that it is a privilege that the current generation of volunteers is getting an opportunity to enter the centenary year of the RSS. Giving his best wishes, he paid tribute to the founder of the Sangh, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, which he described as a guide inspiration for all.
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Prime Minister Modi emphasized that the RSS has been working with a huge view of nation building since its inception. He wrote that the Sangh chose the way to build strong persons as the foundation of a strong nation building. Daily “branches” became the medium of this journey, a platform where a volunteer learns to move from ‘I’ to ‘Hum’. He described the branches as a “Yajna altar of character building”, which has shaped millions of volunteers contributing to the nation in various regions in the last century.
In his article, the Prime Minister emphasized that the RSS has always been carrying forward the spirit of “nation first”. He said that during the freedom struggle, Dr. Hedgewar and many volunteers actively participated in this movement. Even after independence, the Sangh remained fully engaged in nation building, despite that it faced conspiracies and efforts to suppress. Modi wrote that the volunteers never gave a place to bitterness, because they believed that the society is not separate from them, but their own part.
In his 100-year journey, the Prime Minister credited the RSS for arousing self-awareness and self-respect in different sections of society. He stressed that the organization has also worked in remote and inaccessible areas including protecting tribal traditions and values. He remembered how RSS leaders like Guruji Golwalkar, Balasaheb Deoras, Rajju Bhaiya and KS Sudarshan carried forward the fight against untouchability and social discrimination. He also said that the current chief Mohan Bhagwat has given a clear view of “a well, a temple and a crematorium” to promote social harmony.
Prime Minister Modi said that the challenges of the present era are very different from the challenges of a century ago. As India is in the forefront of becoming a developed nation, he expressed satisfaction that the RSS has prepared a strong roadmap to meet today’s needs. He mentioned the “five changes” of the Sangh – self -awareness, social harmony, family awakening, civilian spirit and environmental protection – as guiding columns for volunteers to deal with contemporary issues.
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Explaining the importance of these changes, Prime Minister Modi said that self-awareness means freeing the mind from the legacy of slavery and proud of India’s legacy by furthering the spirit of Swadeshi. He said that social harmony is about giving priority to the underprivileged and ensuring social justice. The purpose of family awakening is to strengthen cultural values and family bonds, while the purpose of civilian spirit is to communicate duty in every citizen. He emphasized environmental protection to secure the future of the coming generations.