'Cong manifesto doesn't mention ban on RSS'

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath Monday said the BJP was "distorting" his party manifesto's reference to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to divert public attention. His statement comes a day after BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, party vice president Prabhat Jha and MP unit chief Rakesh Singh lashed out at the Congress for being "opposed to Lord Ram and the RSS".

"The BJP is intentionally fanning the RSS issue to divert people's attention from the public welfare issues mentioned in our 'Vachan Patra' (document of pledges). In our manifesto, we have not mentioned that the RSS would be banned, nor do we have any such intention," Nath told reporters here.

He asserted that neither the party nor he himself have said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will be banned.

The Congress manifesto, released on Saturday, under a head titled 'administration reforms' reads, "The holding of RSS shakhas in government premises would be banned and the order regarding relaxation given to public servants to attend them will be revoked".

The Congress government had banned RSS activities in government premises in Madhya Pradesh in 1981. The ban was revived in 2000 by then chief minister Digvijaya Singh under the Civil Services Conduct Rule, senior journalist Rakesh Dixit said.

Thereafter, he said, the ban continued under BJP chief ministers Uma Bharti and Babulal Gaur, before incumbent CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan lifted

the ban in September 2006, describing the RSS as a "socio-cultural organisation and not a political outfit".