Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said that now Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shakhas will have its sittings in government offices too and employees will take part in them.

Nobody can ban RSS, he said in Bedia, Madhya Pradesh.

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".

Meanwhile, the state Congress chief Kamal Nath on 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.

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

In Madhya Pradesh in 1981, the Congress government had banned RSS activities in government premises.