BJP’s Amit Malviya shared a copy of the government order and wrote: “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in 1966, imposing a ban on Govt employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi Govt.The original order shouldn’t have been passed in the first place.”
As per the order, the ban was removed on July 9. The ban was imposed in November 1966 during the rule of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Soon after Malviya’s tweet, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on the government saying the ban was in place even during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister.
“After the assassination of Gandhiji in February 1948, Sardar Patel banned the RSS. After this, the ban was lifted on the assurance of good conduct. Even after this, RSS never hoisted the tricolor in Nagpur. In 1966, a ban was imposed on government employees participating in RSS activities – and it was the right decision. This is the official order issued in 1966 to impose the ban,” he wrote in Hindi on X.
“After June 4, 2024, the relationship between the self-proclaimed non-biological Prime Minister and the RSS has soured. On July 9, 2024, the 58-year ban was lifted which was in place even during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister,” he said.
Referring to the RSS uniform of khaki shorts which was replaced by brown trousers in 2016, the Congress leader added, “I believe bureaucracy can now even come in knickers.”
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi also hit out at the Centre calling it “totally wrong”.
“The BJP government is permitting the government servants to participate in RSS activities. It is totally wrong. The oath of RSS states that they don’t believe in pluralism, they talk Hindu nationalism. I believe that cultural organisations should not be permitted,” he told news agency PTI.
“Do NDA allies believe in this decision?” Owaisi asked.
Kerala Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also termed the decision “not at all acceptable”.
“”It is not at all acceptable…How can the Central Government withdraw the ban? This should be opposed by all like-minded people in the country,” he said.
Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien in a rhetoric said – “Are we surprised that the Union Govt has now revoked a 60 year ban on govt employees taking part in RSS activities.”
The RSS, meanwhile, welcomed Centre’s decision and said the move will strengthen the country’s democratic system. “The present decision of the government is appropriate and strengthens the democratic system of India,” RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambekar said in a statement.
“Due to the contribution of the Sangh in national security, unity-integrity and taking the society along during times of natural disaster, various types of leadership of the country have also praised the role of the Sangh from time to time,” the statement said.