Rijiju greets RSS on its foundation day centenary
Synopsis
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on October 20, 2026, greeted the RSS on its foundation day, saluting more than a century of the organisation's service to India's identity, culture, and national spirit.
Key Takeaways
Kiren Rijiju , Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister, extended foundation-day greetings to the RSS on October 20, 2026 .
He praised the RSS as 'one of the largest volunteer organisations in the world,' dedicated for over a century to India's culture and national identity.
The RSS was founded in 1925 by K.B.
Hedgewar in Nagpur , making it a hundred-year-old institution.
Rijiju's message urged placing national interest above all else, echoing the RSS's stated mission of rashtranirman (nation-building).
Senior BJP leaders publicly greeting the RSS on its foundation day is a well-established annual tradition reflecting the two organisations' deep ideological bond.
More than a century of unbroken service to the nation — that is the milestone Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju highlighted on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, as he extended warm greetings to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on its foundation day.
Posting in Hindi, Rijiju called the RSS 'one of the largest volunteer organisations in the world' and praised its century-long journey of service, dedication, and commitment to nation-building. His message read: 'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ke sthapana diwas ki sabhi ko hardik shubhkamnayein' — 'Heartfelt greetings to all on the foundation day of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.'
He added that the RSS's tireless pursuit of its goal — the preservation and promotion of Bharat ki asmita, sanskriti aur rashtrbhavna (India's identity, culture, and national spirit) — inspires every citizen to place national interest above all else.
A hundred years of the Sangh's founding vision
The RSS was founded on September 27, 1925, by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Built around the idea of character-building through daily physical and ideological drills called shakhas, the organisation grew from a handful of volunteers into a network spread across India and several countries.
It describes itself as a Hindu nationalist cultural organisation, its stated mission centred on the service of the nation and the strengthening of social cohesion. Over the decades it has spawned a wide ecosystem of affiliated bodies spanning education, labour, tribal welfare, and student movements.
BJP leaders and the RSS foundation-day tradition
Senior BJP leaders publicly marking the RSS foundation day has become a firmly established annual ritual. The BJP traces its ideological lineage directly to the RSS — the party was itself shaped by RSS-affiliated leaders and continues to draw its organisational cadre from the Sangh's volunteer network.
Rijiju, a two-term Union Minister and a prominent face of the BJP in the Northeast, is among the more prominent cabinet voices to extend such greetings, reflecting the deep institutional bond between the two organisations.
Point of View
Such statements from serving ministers also serve a mobilisation function, reinforcing cadre loyalty ahead of any upcoming electoral cycle. The language Rijiju chose — identity, culture, national spirit, nation-building — maps precisely onto the BJP's own electoral vocabulary.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the RSS founded and by whom?
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded on September 27, 1925 , by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur , Maharashtra.
What did Kiren Rijiju say about the RSS on its foundation day?
Rijiju called the RSS one of the world's largest volunteer organisations and praised its century-long dedication to preserving India's identity, culture, and national spirit, saying it inspires every citizen to put national interest first.
What is the relationship between the BJP and the RSS?
The BJP traces its ideological lineage to the RSS — the party was shaped by RSS-affiliated leaders and continues to draw much of its organisational cadre from the Sangh's volunteer network.
Who is Kiren Rijiju?
Kiren Rijiju is a senior BJP leader from Arunachal Pradesh serving as Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs in the Government of India.
Why do BJP leaders greet the RSS on its foundation day?
Senior BJP leaders publicly marking the RSS foundation day is an established annual tradition reflecting the deep institutional and ideological ties between the BJP and the RSS since the party's formation.
