Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay, who called the BJP ‘fascist’ and the RSS ‘divisive forces’ in his public outreach programmes aimed at the forthcoming Assembly elections due in the first quarter of next year, saw swayamsevaks joining the rescue efforts at Karur. They were present at the stampede site to offer help, distributing water, biscuits, tea, and other relief materials. A local AIADMK man, Chinnasamy, praised them, saying: “What we were told is untrue. When we see their dedicated work, we find service to humankind is in their DNA.”
It is pertinent to mention that the RSS is celebrating its centenary year. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat speech, PM Modi praised the role of the RSS, stating: “…Param Poojya Guruji carried forward this great yagna of service to the nation. Param Poojya Guruji used to say, ‘Rashtraya Swaha, Idam Rashtraya Idam Na Mam,’ (This is not mine, this belongs to the nation). It inspires us to rise above self-interest and embrace dedication to the nation. The statement by Guruji Golwalkar has shown millions of volunteers the path of sacrifice and service. This spirit of sacrifice, service, and the discipline it teaches is the true strength of the Sangh.”
#MannKiBaat | Today, the RSS has been relentlessly and tirelessly engaged in national service for over a hundred years.
That is why, we see, whenever a natural disaster strikes anywhere in the country, RSS volunteers are the first to reach there. This spirit of "nation first"… pic.twitter.com/gWK3B5uYpe— DD News (@DDNewslive) September 28, 2025
True to this tradition, swayamsevaks are known for their dedicated service during national calamities such as floods, storms, landslides, massive fires, and rail and air mishaps. They are often the first to arrive, working alongside governmental agencies in rescue operations. Without hesitation, they have carried even highly decomposed bodies of victims with their own hands.
களத்தில் ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ்
கரூரில் விஜயின் பரப்புரையின் போது கூட்ட நெரிசலில் 39 பேர் பலியான சம்பவம்.
அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் இருக்கும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களின் உறவினர்களுக்கு தண்ணீர் உணவு உட்பட தேவையான அனைத்து உதவிகளையும் ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ். செய்து வருகிறது.#RSS100Years #karur #tvk… pic.twitter.com/7qGAIpu5I4
— Vijayabharatham Weekly (@v_bharatham) September 28, 2025
In Karur, on 27 September, during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) much-delayed public meeting, a stampede claimed the lives of 41 people—mostly women, children, and the young. While several reasons are cited for the tragedy—such as a sudden surge of the crowd, delays in the programme, power outage, generator failure, insufficient police presence, deliberate provocation to create panic, suffocation, people collapsing after standing for long hours, and the scramble for water bottles thrown by Vijay and his party functionaries—many questions remain.
The role played by RSS workers can be seen in the following video posted on the social media platform X, which speaks for itself:
களத்தில் ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ்
அரசு மருத்துவமனையில் இருக்கும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களின் உறவினர்கள், பொதுமக்களுக்கு ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ். சார்பில் தண்ணீர் பாட்டில்கள் மற்றும் உணவு உட்பட தேவையான அனைத்து உதவிகளையும் ஆர்.எஸ்.எஸ். செய்து வருகிறது. #RSS100Years #karur #tvk pic.twitter.com/oDXErDA4i8
— Mediyaan (@mediyaannews) September 28, 2025
Speaking with Organiser, Karur mandal RSS pramukh Giri said: “We were assisting both the general public and the relatives of victims at the Karur Government Hospital, where emergency provisions like drinking water and food were being distributed to those affected.”
This echoes what PM Modi said in his Mann Ki Baat programme on 28 September, when he lauded the RSS: “Today, the RSS has been relentlessly and tirelessly engaged in national service for over a hundred years. That is why, whenever a natural disaster strikes anywhere in the country, RSS swayamsevaks are the first to reach there. This spirit of ‘nation first’ always remains paramount in every action and every endeavour of millions of volunteers.”
The relief work in Karur was carried out under the banner of Seva Bharati, the RSS’s social service wing.
