New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marks its centenary year, several BJP leaders extended greetings and described the organisation’s contribution to the nation’s development in various ways.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Sangh’s journey has been a historic one. In a post on X, he said in Hindi (loosely translated), “From the leaders occupying the highest positions in the country to the grassroots workers, the historic journey of the Sangh’s century has shaped numerous such personalities whose life’s goal has been nation-building.”

HM Shah cited several instances which he said exhibit this. “Be it the Hyderabad liberation struggle, the resistance against the Emergency, the Goa liberation movement, assistance to brave soldiers in wars, opposition to Article 370, the anti-infiltrator movement in the Northeast, volunteers have elevated the tasks of nation-building to new heights with sacrifice and dedication.”

He said the RSS workers have immensely helped whenever the need arose. “Be it desert or rugged forests, the inaccessible peaks of the Himalayas or remote villages, the Sangh has everywhere hoisted the flag of devotion and service to the ‘great sacred land’.”

The Union Minister said that by weaving forest-dwellers, Backward Classes, Dalits, deprived sections, and all strata of the country into the thread of unity, this centenary journey of the Sangh, which tirelessly contributes to the vision of a nation imbued with self-respect, will be written in golden letters in history.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote an article on the RSS’ contribution to nation-building and extended his heartfelt congratulations to all volunteers.

Sharing the article on his X handle, he said, “The 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh are not merely the journey of an organisation, but an inspiring saga of nation-building.”

He wrote in Hindi (loosely translated) that in this one century, the RSS has worked to strengthen the nation by establishing values such as character, discipline, unity, and service in society.

The Defence Minister said that whether it be a natural disaster, a social crisis, or a call for nation-building — the Sangh’s volunteers have always stood in the front lines, demonstrating the power of service, dedication, and organisation.

They have made cultural pride, social harmony, and devotion to the motherland the aim of their lives. “I myself am a volunteer of the Sangh, and it is my good fortune that I have experienced its tradition of service and stream of sacrifice up close,” Singh wrote on X.

He said that as the Sangh enters its centenary year, it is not just a memory of the past but a resolve for building a strong and self-reliant India.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also wrote an article on the RSS’ centenary celebrations and shared it on his X handle.

He said that the 100 years of RSS have been about discipline, service, and nation-building. “ A hundred years of the Sangh testify to its disciplined expansion, tireless service, and the nurturing of nation-loving citizens,” the CM said.

The RSS launched its centenary year celebrations on Vijayadashami in Nagpur on Thursday, commemorating 100 years since it was founded by Dr K.B. Hedgewar in 1925.

–IANS

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