Rashtriya Swayasevak Sangha was founded by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in the year 1925, 25th September in an auspicious occasion of VijayaDashami. Hedgewarji conducted its first shaka with 5 children. RSS firmly believes in one Hindu society and are working extensively towards abolishing caste system and nurture the Hindu culture in order to save Hinduism. When RSS first started in the year 1925 no one really imagined it would one eventually become world’s largest voluntary non-governmental organization with over a million Hindus directly or indirectly supporting the ideologies of RSS. The RSS has no branch and is completely run by volunteers all over India. The members of Rashtriya Swayasevak Sangha worship the Bhagwa Dhwaj (saffron flag) and Bhagwa is accepted as the head of the organization. Despite being the organization with over a million members RSS doesn’t issue identity cards to anyone associated with it and any Hindu, passionate about working towards the well-being of the country can join hands with RSS and are free to walk in and out of the organization anytime. Many leftists and anti-Hindu elements projected RSS as the killer of Gandhi however Nathuram Godse had quit RSS long time before he killed Gandhi. Like I mentioned above RSS members can walk in and out of Sangh anytime. RSS never had any major problems with Mahatma Gandhi. In fact, in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had addressed RSS rally himself. This rally was held in the Sweeper’s Colony in Delhi. Not only did Mahatma Gandhi address the rally, he also fielded many questions posed by the Swayamsevaks and was also amused with the fact about how RSS is bringing Hindu’s together abolishing untouchability and casteism. RSS is a non-political organization. However RSS has produced noble leaders Narendra Modi, Vajpayee, Advani and so on, RSS was successful in producing dynamic leaders like Modi since these leaders had dedicated their life for a better India, they joined RSS at a very younger age and worked most of their youth as karyakartas and got recognition in political parties seeing their zeal to work for social cause. RSS has its presence in every section of the society, Saraswati Shishu Mandir an education institute run by RSS has over 17,000 schools across India with more than 40 Lakh students. Saraswati Shishu Mandir operates highest number of schools in remote places and where children’s are denied education facilities due to various reasons. RSS also has a women wing basically called as Rashtra Sevika Samiti. During the Indo-China war, when the traffic police were at the Border fighting the enemies and the country ran out of the police, only RSS volunteers came forward to help the country by acting as traffic controllers and volunteers at the war site. RSS is the only non-government organization to take part in the Republic day parade. RSS was invited to be a part of this Parade by Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1963 after their commendable help rendered to the nation during the Indo-China war. RSS has been banned 4 times by now, once before independence and 3 after independence. RSS was banned under the British rule as they did not want any nationalistic voice growing in India since RSS started conducting rallies openly and asked people to join the freedom struggle to free mother India from the clutches of slavery.
First time after Nathuram Godse assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. However as mentioned above Nathuram Godse was a former RSS member and the government found that this was enough to ban RSS, when RSS had no role to play here. This ban was imposed in February 1948 and was unconditionally withdrawn in July 1948.
RSS was banned again during emergency rule by Indira Gandhi. This ban was illegal and was part of crushing individual and organizational rights. The ban was immediately lifted when a new party was elected after the emergency.
Finally, RSS was banned after the Babri demolition of 1992. The ban in 1992 was lifted in the absence of material evidence for supporting a ban.
Not many know but RSS played a major part in freeing Goa from Portuguese Rule, RSS leaders demanded the end of Portuguese rule in Goa and its integration into India. When Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru refused to provide an armed intervention, RSS leader Jagannath Rao Joshi led the Satyagraha agitation straight into Goa itself. He was imprisoned with his followers by the Portuguese police post the agitation reached its peak government was forced to act.
People who question the ideologies of RSS and project it as a Hindu fanatic organization should read about Muslim Rashtriya Manch , a platform for improvement of Muslims was initiated by RSS. Some people will find it hard to believe but Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) is a Muslim organization in India, affiliated to the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This move came just after the infamous riots of Gujrat to which many Muslims succumbed. The Chief Minister of Gujrat Narendra Modi was accused of giving vent to the communal anger.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first karsevak to become the Prime Minister, Formation of Bhartiya Jan Sangh which was a subsidiary of RSS introduced many high profile politician to the Indian Polity but it was Atal Bihar Vajpayee who made it to the highest position of them all. It was under his term we got to see India become a Nuclear power, successful anabasis on Kargil for which many soldiers paid the price of their lives and the notorious attack on Parliament . Even as Godhra incident marred his career he is considered amongst the most important Prime Ministers of India.
There are admirers of RSS in every political parties. The presence of RSS is so wild and so vast that we collectively call them Sangh Parivar. Sangh is deep rooted in Indian society and Sanghs contribution to Indian society is unimaginable. The different affiliations of RSS which are cited below
In the field of Occupational & Professional
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, literally, Indian Farmers’ Association
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, literally, Indian Labour Association
Bharatiya Railway Sangh, a Trade Union for Railway workers
Fishermen’s Co-op Societies
Samskar Bharati, Organisation of artists
Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, Lawyers’ association
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, literally, All India Students Forum
Akhil Bharatiya Shaikshik Mahasangh, literally, All India Indian Teachers organisation
National Medicos Organisation, Organization of Medical Practitioners
Akhil Bharatiya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad, (ABPSSP) Organization of Ex-Military Servicemen.
In the field of Economic
Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Nativist Awakening Front
Vit Salahkar Parishad, Financial consultants’ association
Laghu Udyog Bharati, an extensive network of small industries.
Sahkar Bharati, Organisation of co-operatives
Social Services
Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan, for the development of rural areas on the basis of Integral Humanism
Bharatiya Vikas Parishad, Organization for the development & growth of India in all fields of human endeavor
Vivekananda Medical Mission, Sociomedical Services
Seva Bharati, Organisation for service of the needy (founded in 1984)
Sakshama, an organization working among the blind
Nele (a part of “Hindu Seva Pratishthana”), Home for destitute Children
Lok Bharti, National NGO’s Front
Seema Suraksha Parishad, an organization working among the people of border districts
Exclusively for Women
Rashtra Sevika Samiti, literally, National Volunteer Association for Women
Shiksha Bharati (2.1m), to provide education and training for skill up gradation to underprivileged girls and women.
Durga Vahini, Women’s wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
In the field of Religion
Vishwa Hindu Parishad, World Hindu Council
Bajrang Dal, Army of Hanuman
Dharm Jagaran Samiti, Organization for conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism and their coordinating committee “Dharam Jagaran Samanvay Samiti”,
Muslim Rashtriya Manch, Organisation for the improvement of Muslims
Rashtriya Hindu Andolan, based in Maharashtra calls for the deletion of “secular” from the Indian Constitution
Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, a sociocultural organisation with the aim to spread the knowledge of Gurbani to the Indian society.
Hindu Munnani, a religio-cultural organization based in Tamil Nadu.
Hindu Rashtra Sena, propagating for the establishment of Hindu Rashtra.
Hindu Aikya Vedi, Hindu United Front based in Kerala
In the field of Educational
Ekal Vidyalaya, Involved in free education and village development in rural areas and tribal villages of India.
Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Nursery
Vidya Bharati, Educational Institutes
Vijnana Bharati, Science ForumSocio-Ethnic
Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, Organisation for the improvement of tribals
Friends of Tribals Society
Anusuchit Jati-Jamati Arakshan Bachao Parishad, Organisation for the improvement of Dalits
Bharat-Tibet Maitri Sangh, India-Tibet Friendship Association
News & Communication
Vishwa Samvad Kendra, communication Wing, spread all over India for media related work, having a team of IT professionals (samvada.org)
Hindustan Samachar, a multi-lingual news agency.
Researching in Hinduthav
Bharatiya Vichara Kendra, General Think Tank.
Hindu Vivek Kendra, a resource center for the promotion of the ideology of Hindutva.[30]
Vivekananda Kendra, promotion of Swami Vivekananda’s ideas with Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi as a “Public Policy Think Tank” with 6 Centres of study.
India Policy Foundation, a not-for-profit Think Tank
Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, a Think Tank on educational reforms.
India Foundation, a Think Tank
Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY), All-India history reform project
Overseas affiliation of RSS
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, literally, Hindu Volunteer Association – overseas wing
Hindu Students Council, Overseas student wing
In the field of Child protection
Bala Gokulam, To develop cultural consciousness in children
Others
Samskrita Bharati, promotion of the Sanskrit language
Central Hindu Military Education Society, to encourage more Hindus to join the Defence Services
Kreeda Bharati, Sports Organization.
Sanskar Bharti
With RSS so deep rooted in Indian society, it’s very evident that people from all walks of life have an affiliation with the Sangh. After knowing the facts and the presence of Sangh I am sure even you will not be surprised about why the leftist and the self-proclaimed secularist wants to impose a political ban of Rashtriya Swayasevak Sangha. These self-proclaimed secularists for a fact know it very well that they cannot prosper and spread their anti-Hindu ideologies and ruin the society with such vast presence of Sangh Parivar. I am sure you can now co-relate as to why a certain section of media and politicians are indulging in false propaganda against Sangh. Had Sangh not been existing today the leftist and the secularist would not have left any stone unturned to create a rift between Hindu society and ensure Hindutva is wiped out. Certain political parties have been trying hard from decades to bring a permanent political ban on Sangh since they understand that over a million members in its hold, Sangh can easily change their political calculation however Sangh has never implemented any political ideologies on its members nor do they speak about it in their shakas. Sangh has always stood up for rights of Hindus, and if standing up for Hindu rights is projected as Hindu fanatics then I am proud to be one. The humanitarian support which Sangh render during natural calamities, man-made disasters is commendable. Men with white shirt and kakhi shorts have been reaching out to the calamity site and help the victims without any expectations from decades now. Hope the Indian media stops projecting wrong facts about the Sangh pariwar and tell today’s generation about the selfless service they are rendering towards Indian society and Hinduthav.
