Founded on 27 September 1925,[15] the initial impetus of the organisation was to provide character training and instil "Hindu discipline" in order to unite the Hindu community and establish a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation).[16][17] The organisation aims to spread the ideology of Hindutva to "strengthen" the Hindu community and promotes an ideal of upholding an Indian culture and its civilizational values.[2][18] On the other hand, the RSS has been described as "founded on the premise of Hindu supremacy",[19] and has been accused of an intolerance of minorities, in particular anti-Muslim activities.[20]
During the colonial period, the RSS collaborated with the British Raj and played no role in the Indian independence movement.[21][22] After independence, it grew into an influential Hindu nationalist umbrella organisation, spawning several affiliated organisations that established numerous schools, charities, and clubs to spread its ideological beliefs.[17] It was banned in 1947 for four days,[17] and then thrice by the post-independence Indian government, first in 1948 when Nathuram Godse,[23] an erstwhile member of RSS,[24] assassinated Mahatma Gandhi;[17][25][26] then during the Emergency (1975–1977); and for a third time after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. In the 21st century, it is the world's largest far-right organisation by membership.[9]
^"Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)". Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2010. (Hindi: "National Volunteer Organisation") also called Rashtriya Seva Sangh
^ abJohnson, Matthew; Garnett, Mark; Walker, David M. (2017), Conservatism and Ideology, Routledge, p. 77, ISBN978-1-317-52899-9, retrieved 25 March 2021, A couple of years later, India was ruled by the Janata coalition, which consisted also of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the then-political arm of the extreme right-wing Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS – National Volunteers Organisation).
^Bhatt, Hindu Nationalism 2001, p. 99"RSS was not considered an adversary by the British. On the contrary, it gave loyal consent to the British to be part of the Civic Guard."
^Verma, M.L. (2006). स्वाधीनता संग्राम के क्रान्तिकारी साहित्य का इतिहास [On the History of Indian Freedom Movements According to Related Literature] (in Hindi). Vol. 3. Praveen Publications. p. 766.