RSS Vijayadashami in Nagpur on Oct 20: Dhankhar, Israeli envoy invited; Congress raises residence issue
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh will mark Vijayadashami at Reshimbagh on October 20, the close of its centenary year, as the Congress targets the Centre over Jagdeep Dhankhar's housing.
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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will mark Vijayadashami at the Reshimbagh ground in Nagpur on October 20, 2026. The programme is due to begin at 7.40 am and doubles as the closing ceremony of the organisation's centenary year, which the Sangh has described as a milestone.
Two invitees have drawn particular attention. Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Yaniv Revach, Israel's Consul General, who is based in Mumbai, have been invited as guests, according to an official release from the RSS. Sanjay Gupta, editor-in-chief of Dainik Jagran, will be the chief guest.
RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat will give the keynote address, as is the custom at the event. In it, the Sangh is expected to set out its views on current social and national issues. Office-bearers, invited dignitaries and swayamsevaks will gather for the occasion.
The Vijayadashami celebration carries special weight for the RSS, which was founded in Nagpur in 1925. This year's event concludes the hundred years of the organisation's existence.
The invitation to Dhankhar has become a political talking point. The opposition Congress has used it to target the Modi government, saying the episode exposes contradictions in the country's system.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed out that while the RSS has invited the former Vice-President to such a large and important gathering, the Union government has so far not allotted him an official residence. Ramesh said Dhankhar has been entitled to one since his sudden resignation in July last year.
Dhankhar quit as Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman in July 2025, citing health reasons. Under the rules, a former Vice-President is entitled to a residence. A considerable time has passed since then, and he has not yet been given one, an issue the Congress has now turned into a political one.
With the political statements and the debate around the guest list, the Nagpur event is being watched closely for its security arrangements, its organisation and its ideological messaging.
