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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 12: Union Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi has ruled out any move to allow Central Government employees to participate in RSS activities on the lines of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat."There is no proposal before the Central Government in this regard," Joshi told reporters here last night. He, however, defended the decision of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh governments on the RSS issue saying "the state governments are well within their rights to allow participation of their employees in the activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh."
Joshi’s statement is in contrast with Union Home Minister L K Advani’s remarks that participation of Central Government employees in RSS activities at the national level could be reviewed.
Opposition parties have decried the move to "safronise the body politic."When asked why Central Government is shying away from fulfilling its constitutional obligation of defending the "freedom of expression" allegedly under attack from Sangh Parivar outfits opposing shooting of Deepa Mehta’s film Water", the former BJP president said "sentiments of the people have to be respected."
When pointed out that the Central Government has cleared the film for shooting and still the U P Government failed to provide security to the crew, Joshi said "under public pressure, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti basu also could not execute a court order of removing a mosque."
In Uttar Pradesh too a court order with regard to a dispute between shias and sunnis was not executed for fear of public sentiments, he added. Joshi, who had earlier been a strong votary of Swadeshi and had earlier appealed to the government to come out of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) , now said that WTO is "inescapable and the best option for the country now is to find ways to defend its interests."
