New Delhi: A group of over one hundred former Indian civil servants, part of the Constitutional Conduct Group, has called for the reversal of a recent government directive that allows civil servants to affiliate with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They argue that this move threatens the constitutional framework, jeopardizes the impartiality required of public officials, endangers minority rights, and undermines the integrity of civil services.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the group issued a formal statement denouncing the Indian government’s decision to permit civil servants to become members of or engage in activities with the RSS, the ideological parent of various Hindutva organizations. The signatories, including former administrators and police officers, highlighted their commitment to upholding the Constitution and protecting the rights of all citizens, particularly religious and caste minorities.
The group expressed deep concerns about the implications of government officials affiliating with the RSS, stating that it could compromise India’s secular and pluralistic character. They criticized the government’s depiction of the RSS as a cultural organization, asserting that its primary ideology of creating a Hindu Rashtra is at odds with the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship.
Additionally, the statement pointed out the potential risks to the electoral process from civil servants’ possible alignment with the RSS, given the organization’s close connections with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its active participation in BJP campaigns. They also noted the historical involvement of RSS-affiliated groups in communal violence, as reported by various judicial commissions, warning that allowing RSS affiliation among civil servants could heighten communal and caste biases, leading to escalated violence during conflicts.