Eknath Shinde celebrates RSS roots at Nagpur headquarters

Mumbai: Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde expressed pride in his childhood association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Shakha during a visit to the organisation's headquarters on Thursday morning. He emphasised the Sangh Parivar's role as a unifying force in society.

Accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other ministers and MLAs, Shinde paid homage to RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and the second Sarsanghachalak, Madhav S Golwalkar. He highlighted the ideological alignment between Shiv Sena and the Sangh Parivar, noting the organisation's century-long dedication to the nation.

"For 100 years, the Sangh has continually worked for the nation. In times of calamity, you will always find a Sangh member present. Sangh Parivar unites; it does not divide. This is why the ideologies of Shiv Sena and the Sangh Parivar are the same. Anyone wishing to engage in social work with an unbiased spirit should connect with the Sangh," Shinde said.

He referred to the RSS Smruti Mandir, which houses the memorials of Hedgewar and Golwalkar, as a "holy place" that inspires energy and motivation. "Here, we should learn from the Sangh Parivar to help others without expectation," he added. "I have known the Sangh since my childhood, and I take pride in my roots. Next year, the Sangh Parivar will celebrate 100 years, which is a significant milestone."

The delegation included Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Deputy Chairperson of the State Council Neelam Gorhe, and several BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena ministers and MLAs. Deepak Tamshettiwar, Vidarbha's prant pracharak, and other Sangh Parivar members welcomed the dignitaries and shared insights about the RSS's operations and ongoing initiatives.

Sharing his personal journey, Shinde recalled beginning with the Sangh Shakha and later joining the Shiv Sena under the influence of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. "The ideologies of the Sangh Parivar and Shiv Sena are identical. We should learn how to work without expecting anything in return from the Sangh Parivar," he said.

NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a prominent figure in the Mahayuti alliance, was notably absent. However, two NCP legislators, Raj Kumar Badole and Raju Manikrao Karemore, attended the memorial visit.

BJP MLAs and ministers traditionally visit the RSS headquarters during the winter session of the state legislature. Members of the Shinde faction have joined these visits following their 2022 split from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

Karemore characterised his visit as a personal decision to honour the Sangh founders. "There was no directive from the party to visit this place," he said, though he acknowledged receiving a message from BJP representatives encouraging allied party members to visit the headquarters. "I got the message and came here accordingly to pay my tributes."

When questioned about his participation, Karemore responded, "What is the problem with coming here? I don't know whether other MLAs from my party would come here or not."