Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was “India’s banyan tree of immortal culture and modernisation”, and called himself a “swayamsevak”. He was addressing a gathering of BJP and RSS workers in Nagpur, with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat by his side.
“Doctor (RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar) and Guruji (ideologue M.S. Golwalkar) gave new energy to the country. The seed of ideology which was sown 100 years back, today has grown into this big tree in front of the world,” Modi said. The RSS is celebrating its centenary this year.
“The principles and values give great height to this tree. The lakhs of karsevaks are the branches of it. This is not the common tree, it is RSS, India’s banyan tree of immortal culture and modernisation,” he added.
Modi was on a day’s visit to Nagpur where he first visited the memorial of Hedgewar, located at the Sangh’s headquarters in Reshim Bagh, and then proceeded to Deekshabhoomi, where he paid tribute to Dr B.R. Ambedkar. It is the place where Ambedkar and his followers embraced Buddhism.
Speaking to the workers, Modi hailed the efforts of lakhs of swayamsevaks, saying they worked tirelessly and selflessly in various parts of the country. He also credited the Maha Kumbh’s success to the efforts of RSS.
“Like disciplined soldiers, RSS workers reach the spot of disaster-affected areas, be it floods, earthquakes or cyclones. RSS workers do not see the pain, they just get engrossed in the work of relief and service,” the PM said.
He further said that despite multiple foreign invasions in the country, “our Indian culture remained strong and an inspiration to many”.
“Today, we can see the country is moving forward breaking the mindset of slavery. The British laws facilitating slavery, which made Indians feel inferior, were replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” he added.
According to Modi, “Indians are progressing and our youth is feeling proud of our Sanatan culture”. “Our biggest treasure is youth, risk-taking capacity has increased, innovating new things and making a mark in the world of startups. They are proud of their culture and traditions,” he said.
Modi also asserted that the upcoming years until 2047, when India will complete 100 years of independence, would be crucial.
“RSS’ years of effort and hard work are writing a new chapter of developed India. When the RSS was established, from 1925 to 1947 was a period of struggle. After 100 years of hope, the country is at a crucial juncture, 2025 to 2047 is an important period for development,” Modi said.
“The youth has made ‘Make in India’ successful. The same youth will hold the flag of developed India in 2047 when India will celebrate its 100th year of independence,” he added.
Prior to his address, Modi had laid the foundation stone of Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, an extension of the Madhav Netralaya Eye Institute and Research Centre. The eyecare facility was initially founded in 2014 in the memory of Golwalkar.
The new project is a 250-bed hospital with 14 OPDs and 14 modular operation theatres that will provide eye care facilities at affordable rates.
“Madhav Netralaya is an institution that has been in the service of lakhs of people for decades, following the vision of Guruji. It is the policy of the government to provide better health facilities to the poor,” said Modi. “The children of poor parents should also become doctors, so we provided the facility of education in the mother tongue.”
“Crores of people are receiving free healthcare due to Ayushman Bharat, and thousands of Jan Aushadhi centres are providing medicines at a reasonable cost,” Modi added.
Modi also hailed traditional fields like yoga and ayurveda, saying they are getting recognition worldwide.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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