"Highly detrimental to central services, secularism...":Congress on order allowing govt employees to participate in RSS activities

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 22 : The central government's order lifting the ban on government employees to participate in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities has sparked a war of words between the opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Congress calling the order to be highly detrimental to the central services as well as to secularism in the country.
Speaking to ANI on the issue, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala says, "It is not at all acceptable. Earlier, there was a ban on it, how can the Central Government withdraw the ban? It is going to be highly detrimental to our central services as well as to secularism in the country. This should be opposed by all like-minded people in the country."
Countering the government, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the decision "wrong".
"After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Nehru's government banned the RSS. The ban was lifted because they had to agree that they would respect the Indian Constitution, they will respect the national flag of India and they had to give their written Constitution and in that, there were many conditions that they will not participate in politics. Today, this BJP-NDA government is permitting that organisation so that government servants can take part in the activities of the RSS. So, I think this is absolutely wrong because the membership form of the RSS says that they do not consider the diversity of India. They swear on Hindu Rashtra. I believe that all cultural organisations should not be permitted," Owaisi told reporters.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor referred to it as "very strange" after the central government lifted the ban on participation of government employees in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities.
Tharoor said that it is the responsibility of the government employees to work for everyone and added that they should remain "neutral" when in government.
"This is very strange. RSS work and government work are different, both should not be together and the Narendra Modi government did not change this rule for 10 years, then why are you changing it now? It is the responsibility of government employees to work for everyone, work for the whole country. This is not fair, after retiring from service you can do whatever you want but when you are in the government you should remain neutral," Tharoor said while speaking to ANI outside Parliament on Monday.
An order was reportedly issued by the Ministry of Personnel that has lifted a ban on government employees taking part in RSS activities.The order has however sparked a row drawing criticism from the opposition parties.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said that it is not right to discuss such things and added that all parties have employees who support them, "I think it is not right to discuss such things. All parties have employees who support them and they do their work within limits," Athawale told ANI.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya on Monday said that the "unconstitutional order" which was issued 58 years ago has been withdrawn by the central government."The unconstitutional order issued 58 years ago, in 1966, imposing a ban on government employees taking part in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been withdrawn by the Modi government. The original order shouldn't have been passed in the first place," Malviya said in a post on X.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said that a serving government functionary cannot be a member of any political organisation.
"This calls into question the neutrality of bureaucracy itself. A serving government functionary cannot be a member of any political organisation. There was a reason why the membership of the organisation was banned. The government should explain why they reinstated the ban," Karti Chidambaram said.
Karnataka Minister HK Patil said that making employees attend events of an organisation is not right.
"It should not be done. Making government employees attend events of an organisation that has its own thought process will divert them from the main objectives of the government," Patil said.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that the reason that the NTA or UPSC is in a bad state is that the people of RSS are getting into them"I think it's a collaboration between the BJP and the RSS. A few days back, when Mohan Bhagwat said something about God and Superman, I think the BJP issued such a ruling to remove his resentment. Today, be it NTA or UPSC, the reason for these institutions being in a bad state is that the people of the RSS are getting into them," Gogoi said.
RJD leader Manoj Jha said, "If it were in my hands, then I would really want to ask Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that look what is happening in your country. I want to ask the ally partners of the NDA, JDU and TDP: What are you guys thinking."
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that this is "shameful."
"Earlier, ED, CBI, and IT were all doing khaki work wearing khaki shorts. It is shameful that today our bureaucrats, who should work for Bharat Mata and the government should promote it, will now work keeping their ideology in mind, this is shameful."
On the decision of government employees to participate in RSS activities, Madhya Pradesh BJP President VD Sharma said that Congress has always done the politics of appeasement."This is a welcome step for the country and Congress has always done the politics of appeasement. RSS is the biggest cultural and social organisation in this world, which has always made sacrifices and played its role for the country," Sharma said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on the Union government, alleging that the ban that was in force even during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure was removed on July 9.