PM Modi on his first visit to RSS Headquarter said Sangh is India’s banyan tree of immortal culture and mordernisation :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur, marking his first visit to the Sangh’s central office as the Prime Minister of India. During his visit, PM Modi described the RSS as a “banyan tree”—a symbol of India’s immortal culture and modernization.
Modi’s visit was significant, as he last visited the RSS headquarters in 2013 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. However, this was his first trip to the headquarters in Nagpur after assuming the office of Prime Minister in 2014.
As part of his visit, PM Modi paid homage at the Smruti Mandir, which houses memorials dedicated to the founder of the RSS, Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, and the second RSS chief, M.S. Golwalkar. At the site, the Prime Minister wrote a message in Hindi in the visitors’ book, which read:
“The memorial of the two strong pillars of RSS is an inspiration to lakhs of swayamsevaks who have dedicated themselves to the service of the nation.”
His message was later quoted by the news agency PTI.
In addition to his visit to the RSS headquarters, PM Modi also participated in several other important events in Nagpur:
- Foundation Stone for Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre
- The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre building, an upcoming healthcare institution dedicated to advanced eye care services.
- Visit to Deekshabhoomi
- PM Modi visited Deekshabhoomi, the historic site where Dr. B.R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism along with thousands of followers in 1956. His visit to Deekshabhoomi underscored his government’s respect for Ambedkar’s legacy and commitment to social justice.
- Defense and Aerospace Sector Inaugurations
- Later in the day, PM Modi toured the Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd’s ammunition facility, where he inaugurated a newly built airstrip for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
- He also launched a live munition and warhead testing facility, emphasizing India’s push towards self-reliance in defense production and technological advancements in the aerospace sector.
PM Modi’s visit to the RSS headquarters carries significant political importance, especially in the context of recent tensions between the BJP and the Sangh Parivar in the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- Strained BJP-RSS Relations:
- The relationship between the RSS and the ruling BJP has faced occasional friction over ideological and strategic differences.
- BJP president J.P. Nadda, in an interview with The Indian Express, had suggested that the BJP no longer needed hand-holding by the RSS. This statement was seen as an indication of the party’s growing independence from the Sangh.
- Efforts to Mend Relations:
- Despite these differences, both the BJP and the RSS have made efforts to repair their relationship.
- In February 2024, while addressing the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, PM Modi praised the RSS, stating that the organization had inspired “lakhs like me” to “live for our country”
PM Modi’s visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur serves not only as a symbolic gesture of unity between the BJP and its ideological parent organization but also as a strategic move ahead of the 2024 general elections.
By paying tribute at the Smruti Mandir, visiting Deekshabhoomi, and launching key defense and healthcare initiatives, PM Modi’s trip to Nagpur showcased his government’s emphasis on cultural heritage, defense self-reliance, and development.
