The Congress party in its manifesto for Madhya Pradesh has vowed to ban government employees from attending RSS shakhas or using government property for their meetings ahead of the assembly election.
ThePrint asks- Congress promises restrictions on RSS shakhas in MP: Cynical poll ploy or hard secularism?
Previous govts, including that of Uma Bharati and Babulal Gaur, have followed this very rule
Pankaj Chaturvedi
Congress Madhya Pradesh spokesperson
The Congress party’s view is very clear. We have neither any intention nor are we hinting at banning the RSS. We live in a democracy and the RSS is free to function as they wish. It is part of existing government rules that no government employee can be part of a political organisation, as it may colour their views and work. Similarly, government buildings cannot be used for the shakha meetings because that is a gross misuse of the premises. These are all part of the existing set of rules for those who take an oath to be a part of the government service sector.
It is beyond me how they can claim that RSS isn’t a political organisation. The top leaders of the ruling BJP are from the RSS, and proud of that fact. It is referred to as the parent-organisation by various leaders of the BJP. Thus, it is fair to say that they have more than enough political importance and heft. We are against no segment of society. If the RSS wishes to contest elections, we have nothing against that either. We are merely following the rulebook and ensuring that the law of the land prevails. Previous governments, including that of Uma Bharati and Babulal Gaur, have followed this very rule.
It is awfully clear that the BJP has no talk of development left to make. They have failed miserably on all real issues — crime, women’s safety and economy. Therefore they’re now making an issue out of this.
Growing acceptability of RSS among intellectuals and corridors of power has dented Congress grip
Sangit K. Ragi
Professor, Delhi University
The Madhya Pradesh Congress’ promise to ban government employees from participating in RSS shakhas and the use of the government land for the same smacks of political and ideological intolerance of the worst kind.
It largely emanates from an ideological dilemma — leadership struggle in the state unit and an attempt to politically balance the party by assuaging feelings of Islamic radicals and Christian missionaries who have accused the Congress of peddling soft Hindutva.
While the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has been the target of Christian missionaries in Madhya Pradesh due to latter finding tough resistance from the former against conversion of tribal people to Christianity, Muslims have been averse to the rising social and political clout of the RSS in the political system.
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’ diatribes against the RSS are understandable. The expanding social base of the RSS and with over 65 ancillary organisations engaging in over 2 lakh projects has been assets to the BJP.
The growing acceptability of the RSS among the intellectual class and corridors of power has dented the grip of the Congress and has blunted the propaganda that calls the RSS a communal and divisive organisation.
The RSS appeals of Hindutva and Hindu culture has found greater acceptability today in light of assertion of political Islam and political Christianity in India. The Congress and its leadership must remember that ideas can be contested only through superior ideas. By declaring that they will use state power to restrict the nationalist appeals of the RSS, the Congress has accepted its intellectual and ideological defeat. The party has the right to be jittery of the RSS but it must remember and introspect why the RSS has gathered such strength whenever the Congress has tried to stop its work.
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Congress ban on RSS shakhas aims to dispel its own soft-Hindutva image
Rasheed Kidwai
Visiting fellow, ORF
The Congress promise to ban RSS shakhas inside government offices in its Madhya Pradesh poll manifesto is not a manifestation of any intolerant politics. The RSS is free to hold shakhas, expand its activities to the fullest.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s directive to give RSS a waiver under MP Civil Service (Conduct) 1965 rule (5), sub-rule (1) in 2006 should have been legally challenged by the Congress then. The BJP has been in power in 19 states and at the Centre. A question should be asked as to why Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman are not allowing millions of central government employees, police, para-military and defence personnel from openly participating in RSS activities or holding shakhas in North and South Blocks of Raisina Hills.
It may be recalled that in 2000, solicitor-general Soli Sorabjee had advised then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee not to lift the ban on government employees’ participation in RSS activities. Vajpayee saw merit in Sorabjee’s counsel and avoided a confrontation with the Congress which had threatened a nation-wide agitation.
For the Congress, it is a potent poll issue aimed at dispelling an impression that the party under Rahul Gandhi is peddling its own brand of majoritarianism or a soft-Hindutva. By questioning state patronage being extended to the RSS, the Congress is catering to its political agenda of taking on the RSS. The grand old party is trying to make a subtle distinction between championing Hindu interests such as setting up gaushalas and constructing Ram path, and blatantly favouring a socio-cultural, politically-inclined outfit.
Manifesto promise underlines confusion in Congress about its political and ideological standpoint
D.K. Singh
Editor (politics), ThePrint
The Congress party’s undertaking in its Madhya Pradesh poll manifesto to ban RSS shakhas in government premises and not allow employees to attend them is mere rhetoric.
Coming from a party that has been striving hard for an image makeover as a pro-Hindu party and espousing the Sangh’s pet cause of cows and their urine, the manifesto promise only underlines the confusion in the Congress about its political and ideological standpoint.
There is a valid argument that official premises should not be allowed for the promotion of a non-government outfit. It also stands to reason that government employees should focus on deliveries to the people and not on attending shakhas.
But the opposition party’s intent to ban these activities is not driven by its commitment to larger public interests. It’s a political move against an organisation that is the ideological fountainhead of the BJP and whose pan-India network and influence in even remote corners of the country provides electoral heft to the saffron party.
The Congress party’s poll promise is also borne out of its belief that ordinary citizens share its dislike for the RSS, which it calls “anti-Muslim” and “communal”, citing its alleged role in instigating riots across the country over the past several decades. Be as it may, but the Congress hasn’t been able to drive this message home as is evident from the Sangh’s expanding network.
As a poll ploy, the promised ban on RSS shakhas in government premises is unlikely to pay any electoral dividends to the Congress. A better way for the opposition party to take on the RSS and thus strike at the BJP’s core pillar of strength would be to go to the people and be a part of their day-to-day life as the Sangh does, although with different objectives.
By Fatima Khan, journalist at ThePrint. You can follow her on twitter @khanthefatima.