[ Amar Sangno ]
ITANAGAR, 15 Oct: The tide of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Arunachal Pradesh is seemingly far from ebbing, as scores of government servants and officials have reportedly enrolled as primary members of the BJP in the party’s ongoing nationwide membership drive called #Sadasyata 2024, thus blatantly violating the Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules, 1964.
Reports of government employees joining the BJP as primary members are coming in from various districts across the state, and many of them have openly flashed their digital membership card on social media platforms.
The BJP’s online membership drive has made it easier for any individual to get themselves enrolled. To be a primary member, one all one needs to do is send a missed call to 8800002024 from any registered phone number. The person will instantly receive a message from the BJP office in Delhi, with a link to click to complete the procedure. Once the procedure is completed, an automated ID card with the registered phone number is generated and received by the candidate.
Apparently, some of the employees joined the party out of ignorance, and some did knowingly to please their respective leaders.
“I was persuaded by my cousin brother, saying that anyone, even a government employee, can be a primary member. So I agreed to get myself enrolled,” said a government employee from West Kameng district who did not want to be named.
“In Arunachal, who cares about the CSS (Conduct) Rules? Many of the government officials’ spouses and kin are into politics. So I thought why should I not give it a try, since my MLA candidate himself is a BJP man?” said another government employee, from Seppa.
Rule 5, Clause 1 of the CSS (Conduct) Rules states, “No government servant shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics nor shall he take part in, subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or activity.”
Fundamentally, the rule aims to uphold the constitutional values of secularism, socialism and democracy – more importantly, to maintain the neutrality and impartiality of government servants, ensuring that they don’t engage in activities that could compromise their official duties or create conflicts of interest.
However, there are some exceptions where government servants are allowed to join non-political organisations.
The Arunachal Times sought a reaction from the State Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta over the development, but he did not respond.
It is learnt that each party leader, especially MLAs, has been given the task of achieving the target of enrolling at least 70 per cent of their constituencies’ voters with the objective of forming a core voter base and the party’s foundation.
The party leaders share their referral numbers with the party workers for organising mass membership drives. Grassroots workers like gram panchayat members have reportedly been given the task of enrolling a minimum of 50 primary members for downline reference.
To achieve the target set by their leaders, many grassroots workers have randomly enrolled teenage students also as primary members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the membership drive (#Sadasyata 2024) on 2 September from New Delhi, and Chief Minister Pema Khandu kick-started the drive in Arunachal on the same date.
The BJP has in its social media campaign categorically stated that “the principle of ‘Antyodaya’ reaching every individual in the society is BJP’s commitment. Give a missed call at 8800002024 and become a BJP member. #BJPSADASYATA2024.”
It is reported that Arunachal has become the first state in India to achieve its BJP membership target with 4,18,560 primary members as on Monday.
On being asked why the government employees are being persuaded to join the party, a BJP worker said, “It’s open for everyone. Whoever gives a missed call is being welcomed by the BJP. If government employees are voluntarily becoming primary members, that’s not our issue.”
