Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Friday described himself as an ordinary swayamsevak performing his national duty, while delivering the valedictory address at the day-long celebration of the 80th anniversary of the RSS magazine, the Organiser.
VP Addresses Sangh Volunteers
Speaking in the presence of RSS second-in-command Dattatreya Hosabale, Radhakrishnan addressed the dais where other Sangh volunteers sat, and said, "Like you, we are ordinary swayamsevaks performing our national duty." The event was held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.
Decades-Long Association
The Vice President recalled his decades-old association with the Organiser, saying he subscribed to the magazine after reading its select portions quoted in Tyag Bhoomi, the only RSS journal printed in the Tamil language. He also highlighted that the Organiser is now read in 54 countries.
Shaping National Narratives
Radhakrishnan hailed the Organiser for shaping national narratives on the Uniform Civil Code and the Ram Mandir movement. He noted that the editor of Organiser, KR Malkani, was the first editor to be jailed after the imposition of the Emergency in 1975. The VP emphasized that the Organiser promoted dialogue and brought diverse viewpoints to its pages. "No democracy can survive without positive discussion," he added.
Hosabale's Remarks
Speaking before the Vice President, Dattatreya Hosabale said the Organiser "was a part of the nationalist movement and the most quoted journal in the Indian Parliament." He acknowledged that journalism in modern times has become a business, but noted that the Organiser ran only on one capital: commitment. Hosabale added that it is not easy to run a magazine when the ruling party is also from the same ideological family, referring to the BJP.
Event Highlights
The event saw the presence of former editors of Organiser, including Sheshadri Chari and R Balakrishnan. The current editor, Prafulla Ketkar, led the event. The celebration marked eight decades of the magazine's contribution to nationalist discourse and its enduring influence on Indian politics and society.
