'No civil servant can be loyal to nation if...': Owaisi attacks Modi govt for lifting RSS ban

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday attacked the Narendra Modi-led Centre after it lifted the ban on government employees associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its activities, which was in place since 1966. In Owaisi's words, the latest government memo is against India's integrity and unity.

Owaisi said that the RSS was banned because it opposed the Constitution, national flag and the national anthem. The government order read: "It has been decided to remove the mention of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from the impugned OMs dated 30.11.1966, 25.07.1970 and 28.10.1980."

"This office memo purportedly shows that the government has lifted the ban on government employees participating in RSS activities. If true, this is against India's integrity and unity. The ban on RSS exists because it had originally refused to accept the constitution, the national flag and the national anthem," Owaisi wrote on X (formerly Twitter)

The AIMIM chief also mentioned the RSS oath, stating that the pro-Hindutva organisation puts Hindutva above the nation. He further said that no civil servant can ever be loyal to the nation if he is associated with the RSS. 

"Every RSS member takes an oath that puts Hindutva above the nation. No civil servant can be loyal to the nation if he is a member of RSS," the Hyderabad MP wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 

Meanwhile, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya claimed that the ban on the pro-Hindutva organisation was allegedly imposed due to an anti-cow-slaughter protest which took place outside the Parliament on November 7, 1966.

He further said that lakhs of protestors died in the police firing. "On 30 Nov 1966, shaken by the RSS-Jana Sangh clout, Indira Gandhi banned govt staff from joining the RSS," Malviya wrote. 

Opposing the latest government order, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Sardar Patel banned the pro-Hindutva outfit in 1948 after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. At the time, there were concerns that Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was associated with the RSS. 

"Sardar Patel had banned the RSS in February 1948 following Gandhi ji's assassination. Subsequently, the ban was withdrawn on assurances of good behaviour. Even after this, the RSS never flew the Tiranga in Nagpur," Ramesh said.