Dainik Jagran Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Gupta on Tuesday attended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Vijayadashami celebrations as the chief guest of the event in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The annual event marks the founding of the organisation in 1925 and is observed with the traditional Shastra Puja and addresses by senior RSS functionaries and guests.
During his address, Mr Gupta heaped praises on the role of RSS to improve social conditions of the people when the country was not independent.
"When the RSS was founded 101 years ago, India was not yet independent, and the social conditions of the time were very different from what they are today. The Sangh's founding vision and objectives were centred on uniting Hindu society and making it stronger," he said.
"Securing India's independence was also one of its key objectives. The Sangh believed that true freedom was not possible without freeing society from a colonial mindset and fostering a sense of self-awareness and national identity," Mr Gupta added.
Stressing the values of RSS founding fathers, Sanjay Gupta said that after independence, the Sangh made individual development, along with Indianness and national loyalty, its primary goals.
"After India gained independence, the Sangh made nation-building, individual character development, a sense of Indianness and commitment to the nation its primary objectives. However, sections of the political establishment that came to power after independence did not accept this ideology, as it did not align with their politics of appeasement. Despite facing numerous challenges, the Sangh continued to move forward on its chosen path," he said.
Sanjay Gupta further said, "After India became a republic, many politicians who believed in pure Indianness, inspired by the Sangh's ideologies, changed their views and, along with some with nationalistic views, founded the Jana Sangh. Later, this same Jana Sangh, in the form of the Bharatiya Janata Party, became the world's largest political party today."
In a sharp observation, he also stated that the Hindu culture and the Hindu way of life would have become extinct if there was no Sangh. "The RSS, along with its affiliated and ideologically inspired organisations, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, are constantly accused of promoting Hindu extremism," he said.
"But if the RSS were not there today, Hindu traditions and the Hindu way of life would have long since disappeared. After nearly 600 years of slavery, first under the Mughals and then under the British, if Indianness and Hindutva still have a global presence, the credit for this should primarily go to the RSS," the Dainik Jagran Editor-in-Chief said in his address.
Speaking about Dainik Jagran's editorial philosophy, Mr Gupta said, "Dainik Jagran is a newspaper rooted in faith, devotion, patriotism and traditional Indian values. Its ethos is inherently rooted in India's eternal cultural traditions. It is a newspaper whose very nature and purpose are guided by faith. With a positive outlook, it promotes social harmony and goodwill, continually encouraging its readers to do the same. It also seeks to inspire citizens to think about what they can do for the country and what they can contribute to it."
"Viewed in this light, the RSS and Dainik Jagran share common ground in their commitment to India's Sanatan culture, national values and service to the nation. As a large and responsible media and publishing group, Dainik Jagran considers it a moral duty to keep citizens aware of their responsibilities," he said.
"Through its seven social commitments, the newspaper continues to work towards social and national development. These commitments are education for all, environmental protection, water conservation, a healthy society, women's empowerment, poverty alleviation and population planning," Mr Gupta added.
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