In a strong rebuttal to Communist Party of India leader D Raja's recent criticisms, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya has defended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), asserting that the organization's primary goal is national service rather than political power.
Historical Context and Freedom Movement Role
Vijayvargiya, who serves as Minister of Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs in Madhya Pradesh, challenged Raja's claim that the RSS played no role in India's freedom struggle. He presented a broader perspective, arguing that the independence movement had four key dimensions: revolutionary activity, political awakening, social reform, and cultural renaissance.
RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was actively involved in all these streams, believing that true freedom required liberating Indian minds from colonial mentality, not just ending British rule. The organization was established in 1925 as a cultural movement rather than a political entity, with Hedgewar even temporarily stepping down as sarsanghchalak in 1930 to participate in the Forest Satyagraha, for which he served a rigorous one-year imprisonment.
Social Equality and Service Initiatives
Addressing allegations of promoting caste hierarchy, Vijayvargiya pointed to consistent RSS leadership positions against social discrimination. He quoted former leaders Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar's principle of "Na Hindu Patito Bhavet" (no Hindu is inferior) and Balasaheb Deoras's strong stance that "if untouchability is not a sin, then nothing in this world is a sin."
The minister highlighted current sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat's call for "One well, one temple, one cremation ground" as evidence of the RSS's commitment to social equality. He also noted the extensive service work undertaken by RSS-inspired organizations including Seva Bharati, Vidya Bharti, Ekal Vidyalaya, and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which provide education, healthcare, and empowerment to millions of underprivileged families.
Economic Development and Agricultural Growth
Countering claims that RSS-inspired policies have favored corporations, Vijayvargiya presented budgetary data showing significant agricultural sector growth. The agriculture ministry's budget increased from ₹27,663 crore in 2013-14 to ₹1,37,664 crore by 2024-25—a fivefold expansion under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
He cited Madhya Pradesh's agricultural transformation, where irrigated area grew from 7 lakh hectares in 2003 to 45 lakh hectares currently, earning the state the Krishi Karman Award seven times. The MSME sector has expanded 15-fold in the last decade, with initiatives like Make in India, Startup India, and MUDRA Yojana enabling youth self-reliance.
Inclusive Definition of Hindu Identity
Vijayvargiya clarified the RSS's perspective on religious diversity, explaining that the organization defines "Hindu" as a way of life rather than a religious identity. He referenced the Supreme Court's 1995 judgment in the Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo case, which affirmed that Hindutva represents a way of life rather than a religion.
"For the RSS, every person who accepts Indian ethos, culture, and national identity—regardless of faith—is a Hindu," he stated, emphasizing that Christians and Muslims in India are not foreigners but "children of this very soil." The minister noted that many from these communities participate in RSS projects without discrimination.
Vijayvargiya concluded by highlighting the RSS's global presence in countries with significant Hindu populations and international interest in replicating its model. He urged intellectuals to evaluate the organization through the lens of India's civilizational heritage rather than ideological prejudice, reaffirming that service, not power, remains the RSS's fundamental mission as India progresses toward self-reliance and social harmony.
