RSS Moves on Strength of Its Volunteers’ Spirit: Mohan Bhagwat

• Mohan Bhagwat launches “…Aur Yeh Jeevan Samarpit”, a compilation on 24 late RSS pracharaks from Rajasthan.
• Says RSS runs on volunteers’ “inner strength and life-force,” not resources or facilities.
• Emphasises that the organisation must retain the same spirit it had during periods of opposition and neglect.
• Bhagwat asserts that RSS can be understood only through direct experience, not from outside perception.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 16th Nov: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said the organisation draws its strength from the “spirit and life-force” of its volunteers, asserting that the Sangh has grown not due to external support but because of the dedication of swayamsevaks. He was speaking in Jaipur at the launch of the book “…Aur Yeh Jeevan Samarpit”, published by Gyan Ganga Prakashan.

The event, held at the Narad Auditorium of Pathay Kan Sansthan, marked the release of a volume that compiles the life stories of 24 late pracharaks from Rajasthan.

Bhagwat said that the essence of the RSS lies in the commitment of its volunteers: “The Sangh moves on the emotional strength and life-force of swayamsevaks. By mindset, every swayamsevak becomes a pracharak. That is the Sangh’s vitality. The Sangh is its volunteers — their lives and their dedication.”

He noted that although the organisation has grown and gained facilities over time, its core values must remain unchanged. “We have to remain the same as we were during times of opposition and neglect. Only with that spirit will the Sangh continue to move ahead,” he said.

The RSS chief stressed that the organisation cannot be understood from the outside. “To understand the Sangh, one needs direct experience. Several people tried running branches in competition with the RSS, but none lasted beyond fifteen days. Ours has been running for a hundred years and continues to grow, because it is powered by volunteers’ dedication,” he said.

Reflecting on the Sangh’s expanding social presence, Bhagwat said, “Today, the Sangh’s work is a topic of discussion and affection. A hundred years ago, who would have imagined that branches like these could contribute to nation-building? People mocked us for swinging sticks in the air. Yet today, the Sangh marks its centenary with wide social acceptance.”

Speaking about the newly released book, he said it evokes not only pride but also inspiration for walking difficult paths. He urged volunteers to absorb these values in their lives: “If we adopt even a fraction of their brilliance, we too can illuminate society and the nation.”

The programme began with an introduction of the book and its preface by editor Bhagirath Chaudhary. Dr. Murlidhar Sharma, chairman of the Gyan Ganga Prakashan Committee, delivered the vote of thanks. Committee vice-chairman Jagdish Narayan Sharma welcomed Dr. Bhagwat with an angavastram and a memento.