BJP slams Congress for vow to ban Shakhas in govt offices

  • | Monday | 12th November, 2018

“BJP has picked up some lines from the Congress manifesto and raked up a controversy. Rakesh Singh dared Congress to ban RSS. In the name of ban on RSS, it is trying to instigate certain sentiments,” said Kamal Nath.BJP isn’t satisfied. “Congress always supports divisive forces, be it on JNU issue or a ban on RSS. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh dubbed Ram Janmbhoomi a ‘disputed site’ and used foul language to instigate sentiments.

BHOPAL/INDORE: The Congress pledge in its ‘Vachan Patra’ (manifesto) to ban RSS Shakhas in government offices has triggered a political storm in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, with BJP calling it a bid to impose emergency in MP and Congress countering that they only want to ‘restore the law‘.BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said: “It seems Congress these days has one only motto — ‘Mandir nahi banne denge, Shakha nahi chalne denge’ (won’t allow Ram temple to be built and won’t allow run RSS sessions). The party is trying to impose emergency in the state. Congress should apologise for such remarks.”Buried deep within a section titled ‘general administration reforms’ in the manifesto, a single line says that if voted to power, the Congress government will bar RSS Shakhas in government buildings, and also revoke the order that allows government employees to attend RSS sessions.After the manifesto was released, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said: “All government employees must remember what Congress has assured in its Vachan Patra. If voted to power, no government employee will be allowed to attend RSS sessions.”Congress first imposed such a ban in 1981, which Digvijaya revived in 2000 when he was chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Interestingly, the ban survived nearly three years of the BJP government — under Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur and Shivraj Singh Chouhan — until Chouhan revoked it in September 2006, describing RSS as a socio-cultural organisation and not a political entity.Congress veteran P Chidambaram doesn’t agree. Campaigning in Malwa region on Sunday, he defended the party’s pledge, saying: “RSS is a political organization. If the Congress in MP has said in its manifesto that it will put an end to this practice, I see nothing wrong with that. Government servants, as long as they are working in government, shouldn't openly associate with a political party.”PCC chief Kamal Nath explained that the manifesto does not call for a ban on RSS, as was reported in some sections of the media, but seeks to restrict participation of government employees in RSS sessions. “BJP has picked up some lines from the Congress manifesto and raked up a controversy. It’s playing a political drama ahead of elections. In the name of ban on RSS, it is trying to instigate certain sentiments,” said Kamal Nath.BJP isn’t satisfied. Pressing on with the attack, Sambit Patra said: “It was Congress that called Naxals ‘revolutionaries’ and linked RSS to the Muslim brotherhood. Now, they are against Ram temple and RSS sessions, too. Only BJP favours the construction of Ram temple and will fulfil the promise through constitutional process. Other parties play politics. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh dubbed Ram Janmbhoomi a ‘disputed site’ and used foul language to instigate sentiments. He mourns the killing of terrorist Osama and used honorifics ‘ji’ for him. But, it was RSS who helped people of Kerala during severe flood.”Patra was joined by BJP state president Rakesh Singh, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Rajya Sabha member Prabhat Jha. Rakesh Singh dared Congress to ban RSS. “Congress always supports divisive forces, be it on JNU issue or a ban on RSS. Every time Congress has failed to impose the ban,” Singh said.In Barwani, Jha said: “RSS doesn’t run on the mercy of governments but with the power of Indian public and society. Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru banned the Sangh in 1948 but he was tired of it. Indira Gandhi imposed the black emergency but couldn't stop operation of RSS Shakhas which expanded tremendously.”Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi reminded BJP of the law. “No government employee, be it in the centre or state, is allowed to participate in any politically connected activities and their allegiance is only to the Constitution. So, what we are promising is a restoration of democratic, Constitutional process that government employees need to be apolitical. RSS is a political organisation, however much they may deny it, and has a political agenda. The country is aware how all candidate selection and ministerial portfolios are decided from Nagpur,” Chaturvedi said.

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