Ban on MP Govt employees joining RSS lifted

Bhopal, Sep 14 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh government has lifted the ban on its employees joining the activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, official sources said today.

A fresh circular issued last month clarified that the restriction on government servants joining any political party or such organisation does not apply to RSS.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the ban was imposed earlier by the then Congress government in a prejudicial manner. The RSS was not a political organisation but purely a cultural one, he added.

In 2000 and 2003, the state government issued circulars restraining government servants from joining or participating in the activities of political parties and organisations like RSS under subsection (1) of Rule 5 of Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. Violation of the provision would attract disciplinary action leading to dismissal from service, the circular said.

The circular was sent to all departments, Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, Revenue Board and Chief Executive Officers of District Panchayats, the sources said.

Earlier, the ban was put on RSS itself after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and during emergency in the 70s.

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