The Bharatiya Janata Party’s social media head Amit Malviya recently claimed on X that the government of the Netherlands had released a commemorative postal stamp to mark 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and called it a "significant gesture of international recognition" for the organisation.
BOOM found that neither the Netherlands government, nor any official entity, has issued any such stamp. The stamp in circulation was privately created by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh's Netherlands unit using a publicly available custom stamp service.
The Claim
Amit Malviya shared the image on X (archived here), suggesting it reflected international recognition of the RSS. Times Now reposted the same image with the caption, “As RSS completes 100 years, the Netherlands releases a commemorative stamp.”
What We Found
BOOM found that the claim is misleading.
- Stamp launched by Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS NL): The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in the Netherlands launched the stamp on 09 October 2025, coinciding with World Post Day, as part of its internal centenary celebrations.
- No official endorsement from Dutch authorities: BOOM searched Dutch government records and media reports but found no announcement of any state-backed commemorative stamp for the RSS.
- Netherlands postal service allows personalised stamps: PostNL, the Dutch national postal provider, offers a public feature where individuals or organisations can upload an image and purchase valid customised postage stamps. The viral stamp has been made using this service.
BOOM has sought comment from PostNL and will update the article if a response is received.
