New Delhi, Oct 2: As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) celebrates its 100th anniversary on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Swayamsevaks who have dedicated their lives to fulfilling the vision of nation-building with the resolve of 'nation first'.

In a detailed blog post, the Prime Minister said, "A hundred years ago, on the sacred occasion of Vijayadashami, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded. This was not the creation of something entirely new. It was a newer manifestation of an ancient tradition, where India's eternal national consciousness expresses itself periodically, in different forms, to face the challenges of the times. In our times, the Sangh is the embodiment of that timeless national consciousness. It is the good fortune of our generation of Swayamsevaks that we are witnessing the Sangh's centenary."

He extended greetings to the Swayamsevaks and paid homage to the RSS founder, Dr K.B. Hedgewar.

Drawing a parallel with rivers that enrich every land they touch, PM Modi stated, "Something similar has happened in the Sangh's journey. Through its various affiliated organisations, the Sangh works in every domain of life, such as education, agriculture, social welfare, tribal welfare, women's empowerment and more. Though diverse in their fields of work, they all embody one spirit and one resolve: 'Nation First'."

Highlighting the RSS' approach, he added, "From its very inception, the Sangh has devoted itself to nation-building. To achieve this, it chose the path of character-building. Vyakti nirmaan se rashtra nirmaan (nation-building through character-building) -- this has been the Sangh's path. For this, it created the unique, simple and enduring mechanism of the daily 'shakha'. The 'shakha' is an inspiring place where every Swayamsevak begins his journey from 'I' to 'We' and goes through a process of personal transformation."

He further stated that the foundation of the Sangh's hundred-year journey has been laid through a national mission of personal transformation and the 'shakha' tradition, which has shaped lakhs of Swayamsevaks, propelling India forward in diverse fields.

Recalling its role in history, the Prime Minister noted, "Right from the moment of its founding, the Sangh has considered the nation's priority as its own priority. Param Pujya Dr Hedgewar Ji and many Swayamsevaks participated actively in the freedom struggle. Dr Hedgewar Ji himself was imprisoned several times. The Sangh also provided support and protection to many freedom fighters."

He stated that after Independence, the Sangh continued working for the nation "with patriotism and service".

He recalled the help the RSS provided to people during the Partition, disasters, and relief work.

The Prime Minister underlined that in its century-long journey, the RSS awakened self-confidence across all sections of society, reaching even the remotest tribal regions. He lauded institutions like Sewa Bharati, Vidya Bharati, Ekal Vidyalayas, and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram as pillars of empowerment for tribal communities.

Touching upon the Sangh's role in tackling social ills, he wrote, "For centuries, social ills such as caste discrimination and untouchability have been challenges for Hindu society. From the time of Dr Hedgewar Ji until today, every member of the Sangh, every Sarsanghchalak, has fought against such discrimination."

"Param Pujya Guruji constantly carried forward the spirit of 'Na Hindu Patito Bhavet', meaning 'no Hindu can ever fall'. Pujya Balasaheb Deoras Ji declared: 'If untouchability is not wrong, nothing else is wrong in the world.' Later, Pujya Rajju Bhaiya Ji and Pujya Sudarshan Ji, too, carried this message forward."

"In the current times, the present Sarsanghchalak, respected Mohan Bhagwat Ji, has given a clear call for unity, calling for one well, one temple, one cremation ground for everyone," he added.

On contemporary challenges, the Prime Minister wrote, "When the Sangh was formed a century ago, the needs and struggles of the time were different from those of today. Today, as India advances towards becoming a developed nation, there are newer challenges. Dependence on foreign countries, conspiracies to divide our unity, demographic changes through infiltration and more. Our government is actively countering these. I am glad that the RSS, too, has prepared a concrete road map to face them."

He said the Sangh's 'Panch Parivartan' offers a pathway for Swayamsevaks to address present-day challenges -- Sva-Bodh (self-awareness to shed colonial mindset and embrace Swadeshi), Samajik Samrasta (social harmony and justice with focus on the marginalised), Kutumb Prabodhan (strengthening family values), Nagrik Shishtachar (instilling civic responsibility), and Paryavaran (protecting the environment for future generations).

"With these resolutions guiding its way, the Sangh now begins its journey into the next century. In the mission of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the contribution of the Sangh will be crucial. Once again, my best wishes to every Swayamsevak," the Prime Minister concluded.

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