July 22, 2024
Lifting Ban on RSS Activities: Centre Allows Govt Employees To Join RSS Activities
The recent decision to lift the ban on government servants’ participation in RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) activities has sparked controversy and raised concerns about potential politicization of government offices and employees. The All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, previously mentioned a ban on participation in certain organizations like RSS., but this mention has now been removed. This decision has come under scrutiny and drawn attention due to its potential impact on the political neutrality of government officials and public service conduct.
Various petitions filed in courts across the country have brought this matter to light. For instance, the Himachal Pradesh High Court stayed the premature transfer of Suresh Jaswal, a senior manager, on the grounds of his “active membership of RSS.” Additionally, in 2017, the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed a public interest litigation brought forth by the Democratic Lawyers Forum, questioning the conduct of state government officials meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the civic body elections in January 2015.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued an office memorandum on July 9, referencing previous memoranda from November 30, 1966, July 25, 1970, and October 28, 1980. The memorandum stated that a review of instructions had taken place, leading to the decision to remove the mention of “Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS)” from the aforementioned memoranda. This move denotes a significant shift in the government’s approach to the historical references to the organization.
The controversy has also led to political discourse, with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressing concerns over the potential consequences of the decision. He stated that lifting the ban on government employees from participating in RSS activities could lead to the politicization of government offices and employees based on ideological grounds, posing a challenge to the neutrality of public servants and the supremacy of the Constitution.
This controversy continues to provoke discussion and debate surrounding the role of government servants in political and ideological organizations.