'Bar on RSS men in Central govt jobs unconstitutional'

New Delhi: Taking a dig at the previous UPA government for banning Govt employees to participate in RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami programs, the Sangh on Saturday said that move has been proved unconstitutional by courts in multiple cases. 

Talking to ANI, Sangh's head of communication department Manmohan Vaidya said, "Banning Central government employees to participate in RSS programs has already been proved unconstitutional by courts in multiple cases."

"Banning RSS members to join Central government service is unjust and undemocratic. Such bans hardly affect RSS work and morale of Swayam sevaks. RSS does not work through state power or with the support of it. RSS works among the people, with the people and for the people," Vaidya added.

Vaidya's remarks come amid talks that government may withdraw a five decade old order restricting the entry of RSS workers in government services.

The Centre, by its 1966 order, had banned government employees from participating in activities of RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami.

However, the RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami cadres may now be allowed to join government services as Narendra Modi dispensation on Thursday promised to withdraw a five-decade old order which restricted their entry in such jobs.

The move came after reports suggested that a Central government department had cited the same order and asked new recruits in Goa to give a declaration that they don't belong to RSS.

"The central government has not issued any such order recently. If any old order exists, we will review it in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs," Union Minister of State for Personnel and PMO Jitendra Singh told reporters here.

Official sources said the Home Ministry had first issued the order in 1966 making it mandatory for all new recruits to give a declaration that he or she does not have membership of either RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami.

As per the order, anyone having membership of RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami will not given any central government job.

The Office memorandum was re-issued in 1975 as well as in 1980 and circulated among all central government Ministries and Departments.

However, the order was not followed strictly and come to light when new recruits were asked to fill up a form in this regard in Goa recently.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Union Ministers have always taken pride about their links with RSS.