Kolkata, 10 June (H.S.) —In a significant departure from tradition, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has decided to shift its centenary celebration in West Bengal from the usual Vijayadashami day to Mahalaya this year, marking a special concession for the state as the organization completes 100 years of its founding.

Vijayadashami is typically when the annual address by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat takes place—a key event that outlines the organization’s work over the past year and sets the direction for the future. However, RSS sources have confirmed that due to logistical and cultural constraints during Durga Puja in Bengal, the organization has opted to shift the major celebration in the state to Mahalaya, the day that heralds the beginning of the festive season.

This move is being interpreted in political circles as an effort to align with local sentiments ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, where the RSS and its affiliate, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are expected to step up their presence.

According to RSS insiders, volunteers in Bengal will still be required to listen to the Sangh chief's speech, but will not be expected to organize large-scale rallies or events on that day. The speech will remain the centerpiece, with ceremonial or physical gatherings kept to a minimum.

Biplab Roy, Deputy Head of Publicity for South Bengal Province, emphasized the RSS’s longstanding respect for Bengal. He noted that RSS founder Dr. K.B. Hedgewar was introduced to nationalist movements while studying at Calcutta Medical College and became involved with the Anushilan Samiti, training under revolutionary leader Pulin Behari Das. Roy said the traditional bamboo stick (lathi), which Hedgewar learned to wield in Bengal, later became a symbolic part of the Sangh's identity across India.

Analysts believe the RSS’s decision is not merely about accommodating tradition but represents a calibrated political move. With elections due in 2026, the RSS appears keen to localize its outreach, embedding its messaging within Bengal’s cultural and emotional context.

Sources indicate that the Mahalaya event will be coordinated across North, Central, and South Bengal, bringing together RSS’s nationwide affiliates—over 52 in total—along with regional organizations. Prominent among them are Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Samskar Bharati, Shikshan Mandal, Sahkar Bharati, Shaikshik Mahasangh, and Seemanta Chetana.

BJP workers who are also swayamsevaks are expected to participate as well. Initial plans for the Mahalaya celebrations will be discussed at the end of June during the provincial committee meetings, with a final blueprint likely to be approved in the All-India RSS meeting scheduled for July.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh