Before 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with a ‘400 paar’ narrative firmly saddled in saffron mode, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda had said in an interview that the party had become stronger and moved on its own, distancing the RSS as an ‘ideological front’.
However, the unexpected happens when the expected is relied upon much. BJP settles for a 240 seats, inviting ‘Ahankaar’ remark from the top RSS leadership. Unable to waggle out of the sticky situation, it landed itself into , the Union government in an overdrive to appease its ‘ideological partner’ lifts the 58-year-old ban, evoking ire from the opposition as-well-as all quarters of society.
One of the first reactions to come was from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who stated “Saradar Patel had banned the RSS in February 1948 following Gandhi ji’s assassination. Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn on assurances of good behaviour. Even after this the RSS never flew the Tiranga in Nagpur.”
“After June 4, 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,” he further added.
In 1966, a ban was imposed on government employees taking part in RSS activities The bureaucracy can now come in knickers too I suppose, further added Ramesh.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati wrote on social media platform X (in Hindi) “Centre’s decision to lift 58-year-old ban on government staff from attending RSS activities is a politically motivated move to appease the RSS rather than serve national interest. This is to ease tensions that picked up between the two after Lok Sabha elections over government policies and their arrogant attitudes.”
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), authorized to attend to issues related to Union government personnel, issued an order dated July 09, 2024, putting an end to the nearly six decade ban on government staff from participating in RSS activities. It mentioned that instructions issued on the issue in 1966, 1970, and 1980 “have been reviewed and it has been decided to remove the mention of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)” from the Official Memorandum.
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at BJP through his post on social media platform X.
“Modi ji has lifted a 1966 ban on Government Servants attending RSS activities, after 58 years. We know how BJP is using RSS to institutionally take over all Constitutional & autonomous bodies. By lifting the ban on government employees from participating in RSS activities, Modi ji wants to politicise government offices and employees on ideological basis. This will be a challenge to the sense of neutrality of public servants in government offices and the supremacy of the Constitution. The government is probably taking these steps because the people defeated its nefarious intent to change the Constitution. The Modi Govt continues its efforts to take control over Constitutional bodies and work its way in through the back door and tamper with the Constitution,” he stated.
He further mentioned that the move was also a violation of the apology and assurance given by RSS to Sardar Patel in which they (RSS) had promised that it would work as a social organization without any political agenda, in accordance with the Constitution of India.
“The Opposition shall continue its efforts to protect the Constitution of India and our Democracy,” he added.
According to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Sardar Patel had clamped ban on RSS after assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. “The ban was revoked after RSS agreed in writing that it would accept national flag and Constitution of India besides not participate in politics. But the RSS oath itself did not believe in India’s diversity and pluralism. It pledged on Hindu Rashtra and those vowing for Hindu Rashtra cannot follow Indian nationalism,” he added.
Says senior member, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) Javed Urfi, “the move was completely agenda driven to appease the RSS top brass, which post poll had started lashing out at BJP top leadership, flaying the latter’s change in attitude.”
As per the Congress leader, the July 09 order has come as an instrument of truce between the BJP and RSS. “It is a win-win situation for both as now both can live in harmony, refraining from criticizing each other in public,” he added
Similarly feels advocate, Allahabad High Court and Right To Information (RTI) activist Pradeep Verma. “The new turn in BJP-RSS ties is an outcome of recent happenings between the two. On one hand the Sangh’s leadership was unhappy with BJP president JP Nadda’s comment before Lok Sabha elections that the party was capable of running itself, unlike earlier, which post poll invited ire of top brass of RSS, who advised the BJP for remaining a sevak sans arrogance. This on the other hand, made the BJP top rung take exception to RSS leaders public criticism of the party,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the DoPT, which was part of Union Ministry of Home Affairs until 1998, presently functions directly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
