Government employees are coming together to stop the state from take action against a senior officer who had issued a notification banning religious functions in government and semi-government offices and schools.

Shiv Sena ministers yesterday claimed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis agreed to withdraw the notification and take action against the section officer in the Rural Development Department, AV Varkade, who issued a notification on January 4. The directive asked CEOs of zilla parishads across the state to not allow any kind of religious function or rituals.