CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Attend RSS Centenary Wearing Sangh Uniform | VIDEO VIDEO

Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were seen in the traditional Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) uniform during the organization’s centenary celebrations in Nagpur today. The two leaders joined thousands of swayamsevaks (volunteers) for the grand Vijayadashami event, participating in the recitation of the Sangh Prarthana (RSS prayer).

The ceremony took place at the Reshimbagh ground and was attended by prominent figures, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and former President Ram Nath Kovind, who was the chief guest. In his address, Bhagwat emphasized themes of self-reliance and the importance of indigenous development, cautioning that dependence on others should not become a compulsion.

The event also featured a ceremonial Shastra Puja (worship of weapons), where both traditional arms and modern replicas, such as Pinaka rockets and drones, were displayed. Kovind and Bhagwat also paid floral tributes to RSS founder Dr. K. B. Hedgewar.

Video footage from the event showed Fadnavis, Gadkari, and other state leaders standing in disciplined formation with fellow swayamsevaks, underscoring their deep-rooted ties to the organization.

The celebration holds unique significance in Nagpur, where Vijayadashami marks two major traditions: the RSS’s foundational annual event and the anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s mass conversion to Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in 1956. This convergence turns the city into a hub of diverse cultural and social activities. Against this backdrop, the RSS’s 100-year milestone reinforced its core identity, intertwined with the festival’s message of discipline and renewal.