JAIPUR: The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led Rajasthan Government has revoked the long-standing ban on Government employees participating in Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) activities.
Rajendra Singh Kavia, Joint Secretary of the Department of Personnel, issued a circular referencing previous orders, lifting the 52-year-old prohibition. According to the circular, after reviewing the directives from 1972 and 1981, it was decided to remove the RSS from the list of organisations whose activities were previously banned.
Earlier, last month in a historic move, the Modi Government had also lifted a 58-year-old ban on Government employees participating in the activities of RSS. The prohibition, enacted in November 1966 during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was lifted on July 9, 2024. The copy of this Department of Personnel and Training’s (DoPT) order was shared on social media by Congress leaders to express their anguish over the undoing of the historic injustice.
“Participation of the Government servants in the activities of RSS regarding. The undersigned is directed to refer to the OM No.3/10(S)/66-Estt. (B) dated 30.11.1966, OM No. 7/4/70-Est. (B) dated 25.07.1970 and OM No. 15014/3(S)/80- Estt. (B) dated 28.10.1980 on the above subject. 2. The aforesaid instructions have been reviewed and it has been decided to remove the mention of Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (R.S.S.S) from the impugned OMS dated 30.11.1966, 25.07.1970 and 28.10.1980. 3. This issues with the approval of Competent Authority,” the DoPT’s office memorandum dated 9th July read.
This move has been hailed by netizens, RSS Swayamsewaks and BJP supporters as a correction of historical wrongs.
Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh of RSS said, “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been continuously engaged in the reconstruction of the nation and the service of society for the past 99 years. Due to the RSS’s contributions in times of national security, unity-integrity, and natural disasters, the various types of leadership in the country have, from time to time, praised the role of the RSS”.
“Due to their political self-interests, the then-government unjustly prohibited government employees from participating in the activities of a constructive organisation like the RSS. The recent decision of the Government is appropriate and will strengthen the democratic system of Bharat.”, he added.
Notably, it was Sadhu Singh, Secretary-General of Government Employees National Confederation, affiliated to the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), who wrote a letter in 2018 to the Prime Minister of India, and demanded to lift the ban on the Central Government employees in participating the activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Several states, including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, have already removed similar restrictions on government employees associating with the RSS.
