New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar defended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the House Wednesday, saying it has “unimpeachable credentials” and is doing “national service”, after he took umbrage at remarks made by a Samajwadi Party MP.
His defence of the BJP’s ideological parent came during the Question Hour as the SP’s Ramji Lal Suman, while speaking about the National Testing Agency (NTA) chairperson, said: “…For them, there is no other criterion to measure a person, the first criterion is whether he belongs to RSS or not.”
To this, Dhankhar said: “Every organisation associated with development of the nation should come forward. It is soothing to note, it is wholesome to note, that RSS as an organisation has been contributing to national welfare, our culture, and everyone should, as a matter of fact, take pride in any organisation which is acting in this manner…”
He added: “And before that, let me tell you, honourable members, if we take exception like this, it is indicative of undemocratic situations. It is antithetical to the preamble of our Constitution. We are doing great disservice to the nation and the Constitution by taking such a divisive stance.”
As Dhankar objected to Suman’s remarks, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge stood up to argue in support of the SP parliamentarian.
“I respect you a lot, because you are the guardian of this House. But the member who is speaking under the law, is speaking under the rules. It is not right to say to him, don’t talk, don’t talk, unless he violates the business rules. And what they are saying is the truth,” Kharge said.
Dhankhar then said, “The Leader of the Opposition has in a sense indicated to the Chair that I have transgressed the rules by objecting to the member. I am therefore obliged to respond to it. Honourable Leader of the Opposition says I can intervene when there is transgression of rules. If a member is speaking within the rules, I should not intervene, I agree with that. But here the member was not transgressing rules, he was trampling the Constitution of India.”
“For this reason, an organisation I have said is fully entitled, RSS is an organisation which is a global think tank of the highest order…I will not permit honourable member to single out an organisation which is doing national service,” he further said, adding: “Under part 3 of the Constitution, this organisation RSS has all the rights to contribute for national growth, for national development.”
Vice-President Dhankhar continued with his praise of the RSS, saying: “I hereby rule that RSS is an organisation that has full constitutional rights to participate in the development journey of this nation. This organisation bears unimpeachable credentials, comprises of people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly. To take exception that a member of this organisation cannot participate in the development journey of the nation is not only unconstitutional, but beyond the rules.”
He then remarked that he has noticed “people are engaging in divisive activities”, adding that “this is a pernicious design, a sinister mechanism to run down the growth of the country”.
“I have reflected on several occasions that attempts being made within the country and outside to taint, tarnish, and demean our institutions, constitutional institutions, is to be deprecated by all of us. If we fail to do it, our silence on this occasion will resonate in our ears for years to come.”
He added: “I have thoughtfully, after taking constitutional essence, constitutional spirit, rules of the house, ruled that any such observation is not only offensive to the Constitution, but offensive to the growth trajectory of the nation. Any organisation, including RSS, is duly entitled to contribute to the journey of this nation.”
Members of INDIA alliance, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Biju Janata Dal staged a walkout during Dhankhar’s long speech on the RSS.
Later, Congress’s Jairam Ramesh, in an X post, said Suman SP hit the nail on the head with his question.
Last month, the RSS welcomed the purported move by the Modi government to lift the ban on central government employees participating in Sangh activities. Terming the original move (the ban) as “politically driven”, the RSS said this will “strengthen the democratic system of India”.
The ban was first imposed by a 1966 order.
In an office memorandum issue in November 1966, the Government of India, while clarifying the conduct of civil servants in context to their participation in political activities, had said: “As certain doubts have been raised over government’s policy over with respect to the membership of and participation in the activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Jamaat-e-Islami by government servants, it is clarified that the government has always held the activities of these two organisations to be of a nature that by participating in by government servants would attract provisions of sub-rule (1) of Rule 5 of Central Civil Service Conduct Rule 1960.”
The memorandum further explained, “Any government servant who is a member of or is otherwise associated with the aforesaid organisation or with their activities is liable for disciplinary action.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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