NEW DELHI: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Wednesday celebrated the govt’s decision to release a commemorative postage stamp and coin as a “societal recognition” of the Sangh’s century-long contribution, while defence minister Rajnath Singh marked the occasion by highlighting the role of swayamsevaks in communal harmony and nation building.Speaking at the Sangh’s centenary celebrations, where PM Narendra Modi was the chief guest, Hosabale said, “The release of the stamp and coin was emblematic of RSS’s journey from the fringes to the mainstream. Indifference, opposition, struggle — these all had to be overcome. Yet, while walking the path of indifference and opposition, today the Sangh has reached the stage of acceptance,” he said, adding that RSS is now being identified with India’s “civilisational philosophy”.The Rs 100 coin celebrating RSS’s contribution to nation building carries the national emblem on one side and on the other, an image of ‘Bharat Mata’ in Varad Mudra, with a lion being saluted by swayamsevaks — a depiction the PM noted as the first instance of Bharat Mata’s image appearing on Indian currency. The coin also bears the Sangh’s motto, “Rashtraya Swaha, Idam Rashtraya, Idam Na Mama.”Positioning the Sangh as a custodian of values rooted in Indian tradition, he said, “RSS has arrived — not merely as an organisation; it has come while practising for an idea. It is the idea of this soil, this land’s civilisation and culture.” “The Sangh opposes no one… taking all of society along, moving forward together — this is the Sangh’s song,” he said.Highlighting RSS’s contributions, Singh said it played the role of a saviour during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, providing shelter, protection and relief to the Sikh community. “Noted author Khushwant Singh acknowledged this publicly when he said that RSS played an honourable role in maintaining Hindu-Sikh unity before and after Indira Gandhi’s assassination,” Singh said.On RSS being often unfairly criticised regarding its relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, he said that while it is true there were some differences of opinion on certain issues — as there were within the Congress fold itself — it would be “misleading to portray their relationship in terms of hostility or rivalry”. “Their differences never stood in the way of the mutual regard they shared. This was evident in 1934, when Gandhi ji visited an RSS camp in Wardha. He was struck by the organisation’s discipline, complete absence of untouchability, and rigorous simplicity,” he said.
