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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Volunteer. (Representative image via PTI)
The remarks in the Supreme Court came as Justices Sushruta Arvind Dharmadhikari and Gajendra Singh were disposing of a writ petition by retired central government employee Purushottam Gupta
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday said it took the federal government nearly five years to realize that an “internationally reputed” organization like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was wrongly included in the list of organizations barred to government employees.
The remarks in the Supreme Court came as Justices Sushruta Arvind Dharmadhikari and Gajendra Singh were dealing with a writ petition by retired central government employee Purushottam Gupta.
Gupta had filed a petition in the high court on September 19 last year challenging the Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules and the Centre's office memorandums that prevented government employees from participating in the Sangh's activities.
“The court lamented that it took the central government nearly five years to realize its mistake; the judge said it admitted that an internationally renowned organization like the RSS had been wrongly included among the banned organizations in the country and removed it from it is a typical approach.
“Thus, the desire of many central government employees to serve the country in various ways diminished during these five years as a result of this injunction, which was only lifted after the notice of this court in the present proceedings,” HC further said.
The bench directed the Union Ministry of Personnel and Training and Home Affairs to publicly display on their official website homepages the July 9 office memorandum through which the ban on government employees from participating in the Sangh was lifted.
“We, therefore, direct the Ministry of Personnel and Training and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, where appropriate, to publicly display the contents and copy of the Circular/OM dated July 9, 2024 on the home page of their official website: In this petition submitted,” it said.
“This is to ensure that the public is aware and aware of the information issued regarding the Circular/OM. Apart from this, the Circular/OM dated July 9, 2024 has also been directed to be forwarded to all parts of India within 15 days of the judgment of this Court. All departments and enterprises of the central government.
Speaking to PTI, Indore-based petitioner Gupta, who retired from the Central Warehousing Corporation in 2022, said: “I am happy with the Center's decision to lift the ban on government employees participating in Sangh activities. Now, thousands like me It will become easier for people to join RSS.
(This article has not been edited by News18 staff and is published by PTI)
