“In consultation with the Provincial Governments, the Central Government have had under consideration the question of removal of the ban on the R.S.S. The factors governing the problem clearly emerged during the discussion which the leader of the organisation (M.S. Golwalkar) had with Sardar Patel in October last year. In brief, they were that the R.S.S. should function under a written and published Constitution, restricting activities to the cultural sphere, abjuring violence and secrecy, professing loyalty to the Constitution of India and the National Flag, and providing for a democratic organisation. The public is already familiar with the history of the breakdown of these talks and the course which events took thereafter.
“Inspite of this, the Government’s attitude to this organisation was never prompted by any spirit of vindictiveness, and when certain non-official gentlemen approached them with requests to interview the R.S.S. leader in jail, with a view to persuading him to fulfil the above mentioned conditions, the Government offered them facility to do so. In March this year, the R.S.S. leader wrote to the Government forwarding a draft Constitution, the terms of which were examined by Government in consultation with the provinces. The Government of India conveyed to the R.S.S. leader their reaction on the draft and he has now generally accepted the suggestions made by the Government of India and the clarifications made by him indicate that the relevant provisions of the Constitution are intended to be worked in the spirit contemplated by the Government.
“The R.S.S leader has undertaken to make the loyalty to the Union Constitution and respect for the National Flag more explicit in the Constitution of the R.S.S and to provide clearly that persons believing or resorting to violent and secret methods will have no place in the Sangh. The R.S.S. leader has also clarified that the Constitution will be worked on a democratic basis. In particular, the office of the Sarsanghchalak would, in effect, be elective in that the successor would be nominated with the consent of the then Karyakari Mandal…
“In the light of the modification made and clarifications given by the R.S.S. leader, the Government of India have come to the conclusion that the R.S.S. organisation should be given an opportunity to function as a democratic, cultural organisation owing loyalty to the Indian Constitution and recognising the National Flag eschewing secrecy and abjuring violence. Indeed, the Government feel that, under a Constitution embodying these principles and worked in the right spirit, no reasonable objection can be taken to such functioning. They have accordingly decided to withdraw the ban on the organisation …”
Source: D.R. Goyal, 1979
