Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a special ₹100 commemorative coin and a postage stamp to mark the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The event, however, was immediately met with a sharp political rebuttal from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who chose the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary to launch a vehement critique, linking the RSS to the ideology of the Mahatma’s assassin.
The commemorative coin, a first of its kind in post-independence India, features the national emblem on one side. The other side bears an image of Bharat Mata (Mother India) alongside RSS volunteers in a posture of reverence. The accompanying postage stamp was issued to highlight the organization’s historical participation in the 1963 Republic Day parade, cementing its recognition in official state ceremonies.
PM Narendra Modi unveils commemorative postage stamp, coin marking RSS’ centenary year. pic.twitter.com/FcWjAbF1JP
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) October 1, 2025
A Secular India’s Pledge: Stalin’s Gandhi Jayanti Rebuke
The release sparked an immediate and forceful response from Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Gandhi Jayanti, Stalin paid tribute to the Father of the Nation before launching a scathing attack. He asserted, “Our India is a secular country for people of all religions,” positioning Gandhi’s ideals in direct opposition to the RSS.
நமது இந்தியா, அனைத்து மத மக்களுக்குமான மதச்சார்பற்ற நாடு எனும் அடிப்படைத் தத்துவத்திற்கு வித்திட்டவர் அண்ணல் காந்தியடிகள்!
மக்களிடையே வெறுப்பின் விதைகள் தூவப்பட்டு, பிரித்தாளும் சக்திகள் தலைதூக்கும் போதெல்லாம் அவற்றை எதிர்கொள்ளும் வலிமையை நமக்கு என்றும் வழங்கும் ஆற்றல் அவர்.… pic.twitter.com/XdRrDDmiSZ
— M.K.Stalin – தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விடமாட்டேன் (@mkstalin) October 2, 2025
In a deeply charged accusation, Stalin stated that the RSS “gives shape to the dreams of the religious leader who killed our Father of the Nation.” He framed the centenary commemorations as a national “predicacy” and declared that the person “at the helm of the country,” a clear reference to PM Modi, should be rescuing India from it rather than presiding over it. Stalin concluded his message by calling for a public pledge on Gandhi’s birth anniversary, urging all Indians to reject the celebration of an organization he views as divisive and opposed to the foundational secular principles of the nation.