• Source:JND
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The Centre, on July 9, lifted a five-decade-long ban on government employees taking part in RSS activities. The ban was imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in November 1966. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, citing the erstwhile order as ‘unconstitutional’, said it shouldn’t have been issued in the first place and the ban was unleashed due to massive anti-cow-slaughter protests at the Parliament.

“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in 1966, imposing a ban on Govt employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi Govt.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. The ban was imposed because, on 7 Nov 1966, there was a massive anti-cow-slaughter protest at the Parliament. RSS-Jana Sangh mobilised support in lakhs. Many died in police firing. On 30 Nov 1966, shaken by the RSS-Jana Sangh clout, Indira Gandhi banned Govt staff from joining the RSS,” he posted on X with a picture of government order in this regard.

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Rebuking the fresh order in this regard, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the order to ban government employees from attending RSS events was a right decision by Indira Gandhi’s government and it was in place during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure as well.

“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 tricolour 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. 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. I believe that bureaucracy can now even come in shorts,” he posted on X.

The Congress leader also shared an audio clip, purportedly depicting Sardar Patel speaking about RSS and its motives for making a Hindu Rashtra. He also shared a picture of the 1966 order which banned government officials from participating in RSS events.

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However, various state governments, including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, have already removed such restrictions on government employees.