RSS centenary marked with coin, stamp release; opposition criticise depiction of ‘Bharat Mata’ in currency
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled a Rs 100 commemorative coin featuring Bharat Mata on Indian currency for the first time, along with a postage stamp, to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The move has sparked criticism from opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, who accused the government of promoting the RSS’s ideological agenda.
The event, organised by the Ministry of Culture, comes a day ahead of the formal launch of RSS’s centenary celebrations, which traditionally begin on Vijayadashami in Nagpur.
The coin portrays Bharat Mata in Varada Mudra (gesture of giving), standing on a lotus with a lion beside her, holding the RSS flag. Three swayamsevaks are seen bowing before her in devotion. The coin also features the RSS motto: “Rashtray Swaha, Idam Rashtraya, Idam Na Mama” (“Everything is dedicated to the nation, everything is the nation’s; nothing is mine”), with the years 1925–2025 inscribed to mark 100 years of the organisation.
Alongside the coin, a Rs 500 commemorative postal stamp was released showing RSS volunteers participating in the 1963 Republic Day Parade, with a secondary image depicting them engaged in social work. The stamp bears the motto: “Rashtra Bhakti – Seva – Anushashan” (Service to the Nation – Patriotism – Discipline).
Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Modi praised the RSS for its role in nation-building. “For the first time in independent India’s history, Bharat Mata appears on our currency. This is a moment of great pride and historical significance,” he said.
“The Sangh has fought against the atrocities of the British. Its only interest has always been love for the nation.” Modi also said that RSS volunteers had sheltered freedom fighters and that many were jailed during the independence movement. “Despite being attacked and vilified, the Sangh never responded with bitterness. It has worked silently for society under the principle of ‘Nation First’,” he said.
