(The Times of India
14 September 2006)
Ban goes, MP staff can attend 'shakhas'
Suchandana Gupta
[ 15 Sep, 2006 0130hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
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BHOPAL: State government employees in Madhya Pradesh can now attend RSS 'shakhas' without hesitation and fear.
Two years and 10 months after coming to power in the state, the BJP government in the state has revoked a ban imposed during President's Rule in Madhya Pradesh in 1993 barring state government employees from participating in RSS activities.
An order issued on April 29, 1993 specified that participating in RSS activities or functions of similar groups by government employees would be a violation of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
Though the rule was not revoked, Congress-led Digvijay Singh government re-imposed the ban twice. First on May 30, 2000 and then on April 26, 2003. By the 2003 order, the services of any government employee found participating in RSS 'shakhas' could be terminated.
The order had also banned any RSS activity or propagation on government property. The Digvijay government, however, failed to trace any government employee who violated the rule.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan revoked this ban by an order issued by the general administration department one month ago. But this development was kept under wraps.
Speaking to reporters, Chauhan said: "The Madhya Pradesh Civil Service (Conduct) Rules prohibit state government employees from participating in activities of political parties. RSS is not a political organisation but a cultural one. Political prejudice led to the ban."
Congress is irate over the development, saying it didn't even know about the latest order.