An order reportedly issued by the Ministry of Personnel that permits government servants to part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has resulted in a war of words between the opposition and the BJP.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya on Monday, July 23, 2024, said that the "unconstitutional order" issued 58 years ago imposing a ban on government employees from taking part in RSS activities has been withdrawn by the central government.
On Sunday, July 21, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X a photo grab of a purported order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on July 9. It referred to the earlier memoranda issued on November 30, 1966, July 25, 1970 and October 28, 1980 on the subject, stating that those instructions were reviewed and it was decided to remove the mention of “Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (R.S.S.S)” from the impugned memoranda.
In his post, Mr. Ramesh said: “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 Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn on assurances of good behaviour.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 employees taking part in RSS activities. After June 4th 2024, relations between the self-anointed non-biological PM and the RSS have nosedived. On July 9, 2024, the 58-year 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,” he added.
Again Mr Malviya reacted by stating that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself reached out to the RSS in Feb 1977, offering to lift the ban she had imposed in Nov 1966, in exchange for their support for her election campaign.”
So, Balak Buddhi & Co should know Congress’s history before whining endlessly…”, Mr. Malviya tweeted.
Reacting to the issue, AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said that the order was against India's integrity and unity, adding that no civil servant can be loyal to the nation if he is a member of RSS.
"This office memo purportedly shows that the government has lifted the ban on government 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 and 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," Mr. Owaisi posted on X.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on the Union government alleging that the ban that was in force even during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure was removed on July 9.
"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 employees taking part in RSS activities," he said.
"After June 4th, 2024, relations between the self-anointed non-biological PM and the RSS have nosedived. On July 9, 2024, the 58-year 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," the Congress general secretary added.
Congress leader Pawan Khera also posted on X, "58 years ago, the Central Government had imposed a ban on government employees taking part in the activities of the RSS. Modi govt has withdrawn the order."
(With inputs from agencies)
