Madhya Pradesh HC Criticizes Decades-Long Ban on Govt Employees’ Participation in RSS

The Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that it took the Union government nearly five decades to realize that the “internationally renowned” Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was wrongly included in the list of organizations banned for government employees.

This remark was made by a bench comprising Justices Sushruta Arvind Dharmadhikari and Gajendra Singh while disposing of the writ petition filed by Purushottam Gupta, a retired Central government employee. Gupta had filed the petition on September 19 last year, challenging the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules and the office memorandums that prevented government employees from participating in RSS activities.

“The court laments the fact that it took almost five decades for the Central government to realize its mistake; to acknowledge that an internationally renowned organization like RSS was wrongly placed amongst the banned organizations of the country and that its removal therefrom is quintessential,” the bench stated.

The court further noted that the aspirations of many Central government employees to serve the country in various ways were hindered by this ban, which was lifted only when it was brought to the court’s attention through the present proceedings.

The bench directed the Union government’s Department of Personnel and Training and the Ministry of Home Affairs to publicly display on the homepage of their official website the July 9 office memorandum lifting the ban on government employees from joining RSS activities.

“In the fitness of things, therefore, we direct the Department of Personnel and Training and Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI to display publicly on the Home Page of its Official Website the contents and copy of the circular/OM dated 9th July, 2024 as filed in the present petition,” the court ordered.

The court added, “This is to ensure public knowledge and information about the issuance of the said circular/OM. Besides the above, within 15 days of the judgment of this Court, the circular/OM dated 9th July, 2024 is also directed to be transmitted to all the departments and undertakings of the Central Government across India.”

Speaking to PTI, petitioner Gupta, who retired from the Central Warehousing Corporation in 2022, expressed his satisfaction with the Centre’s decision. “I am happy with the Centre’s decision to lift the ban on participation of government employees in Sangh activities. It will now become easier for thousands of people like me to join the RSS,” he said.

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