Centre Removed 58-Year-Old On Government Staff Associating With RSS, Claims Opposition (image-facebook/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS))
A massive controversy stirred up after reports of a 58-year-old ban on the association of government employees with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was lifted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government surfaced. The Hindutva group, the RSS, is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ideological mentor and its parent organisation.
Leaders from the opposition took to X to share an official memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on July 9 about the “participation of the government servants in the activities of RSS.”
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The official memorandum referred to an earlier document on the topic issued on November 30, 1966, July 25, 1970, and October 28, 1980.
Following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse, an RSS member, the organisation was initially declared unlawful over rising concerns over its activities.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “Sardar Patel has banned the RSS in February 1948 following Gandhiji’s assassination. Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn on assurances of good behaviour. Even after this the RSS never flew the Tiranga in Nagpur [the headquarters of the organisation].”
He further highlighted the ban, imposed in 1966, on government employees participating in RSS activities. The order stated, “As certain doubts have been raised about the government’s policy with respect to the membership of and participation in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh and the Jamaat-e-Islami by government servants, it is clarified that government have always held the activities of these two organisations to be of such a nature that participation in them by government servants would attract the Central Civil Services Conduct Rules.”
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“After June 4th 2024, relations between the self-anointed non-biological PM and the RSS have nosedived. On July 9, 2024, the 58-year-old ban that was in force even during Mr. Vajpayee’s tenure as PM was removed. The bureaucracy can now come in knickers too I suppose,” Ramesh added, referring to the khaki shorts RSS members used to wear until October 2016.
Sardar Patel had banned the RSS in February 1948 following Gandhiji’s assassination.
Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn on assurances of good behaviour. Even after this the RSS never flew the Tiranga in Nagpur.
In 1966, a ban was imposed – and rightly so – on government… pic.twitter.com/Lmq7yaybR4
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 21, 2024
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This office memo purportedly shows that the govt has lifted the ban on govt employees participating in RSS activities If true, this is against India’s integrity and unity. The ban on RSS exists because it refused to accept the constitution, the national flag & the national anthem. Every RSS member takes an oath that puts Hindutva above the nation. No civil servant can be loyal to the nation if he is a member of RSS.”
This office memo purportedly shows that the govt has lifted the ban on govt employees participating in RSS activities. If true, this is against India’s integrity and unity. The ban on RSS exists because it refused to accept the constitution, the national flag & the national… pic.twitter.com/1wuB494g5w
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 22, 2024
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The BJP’s IT department head, Amit Malviya, also shared the photo of the document. Welcoming the move, he said, “The unconstitutional order issued 58 years ago, in 1966, imposing a ban on Govt employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi Govt. The original order shouldn’t have been passed in the first place.”
The unconstitutional order issued 58 years ago, in 1966, imposing a ban on Govt employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi Govt. The original order shouldn’t have been passed in the first place.
The ban was imposed… pic.twitter.com/Gz0Yfmftrp
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 22, 2024
