New Delhi: On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on its centenary, highlighting the organisation’s commitment to national service and security, often at the cost of personal comfort.
Describing himself as a “proud swayamsevak,” Shah said that over the past 100 years, the Sangh has shaped numerous leaders—from top figures to grassroots workers.
“Heartfelt congratulations on the centenary of the world’s largest voluntary organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. On this historic journey, I bow to all the dedicated workers who have devoted their lives to the service, security, and welfare of Maa Bharati,” he said.
Shah noted the sacrifices involved in being a swayamsevak or pracharak, roles that demand giving up personal comforts for nation-building. “Over a century, countless swayamsevaks and pracharaks have demonstrated unwavering dedication and sacrifice. I am proud to be one of them,” he added.
He recalled how, under the leadership of Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS began in Nagpur on Vijayadashami in 1925 with just a handful of people and has now grown into the world’s largest social organisation.
Shah also highlighted the Sangh’s role in major historical movements, including the Hyderabad liberation struggle, opposition to the Emergency, and the Goa liberation movement, as well as its support for soldiers in wars, its stance against Article 370, and its anti-infiltrator efforts in the Northeast.
“From deserts and dense forests to the remote peaks of the Himalayas and far-flung villages, the Sangh has carried the flag of devotion and service to our sacred land,” he said.
He concluded by noting the RSS’s role in uniting forest-dwellers, backward classes, Dalits, and other marginalized communities into the broader fabric of the nation. “This centenary journey, marked by tireless contributions toward a self-respecting India, will be remembered in golden letters in history,” Shah said.
