India News | Cong Promises Ban on Bajrang Dal in Karnataka Poll Manifesto; Insult to Lord Hanuman, Says BJP
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Bengaluru/ The Congress on Tuesday promised a ban on Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto, a move denounced by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who alleged that the opposition party which had "locked up" Lord Ram now wanted to target Lord Hanuman's devotees.
Bengaluru/New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday promised a ban on Bajrang Dal in its Karnataka election manifesto, a move denounced by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who alleged that the opposition party which had "locked up" Lord Ram now wanted to target Lord Hanuman's devotees.
The BJP alleged that Congress had insulted Lord Hanuman with its "audacious" statement and the people of Karnataka will give a befitting reply in the polls, but the Congress hit back claiming that it was Prime Minister Modi who had hurt religious sentiments and insulted the deity by "equating" him with the Bajrang Dal, and demanded an apology from him.
The Congress, in its election manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls, said it will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on organisations like Bajrang Dal and PFI and alleged that they were promoting enmity among communities.
"The Congress is committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste and religion."
"We believe that law and Constitution are sacrosanct and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on such organisations,” it said.
Defending its youth wing as a "nationalistic and patriotic outfit", the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged that the Congress' "hidden agenda" is now exposed and the party which is being rejected all over the country is "daydreaming" of banning the Bajrang Dal.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that it was the "height of appeasement politics" and an attempt to “save” the Popular Front of India, a radical Islamic outfit that the Centre had banned in September last year for its alleged terror activities.
Addressing an election rally in Vijayanagara district, Prime Minster Modi said he was fortunate that he got the opportunity to pay obeisance to the land of Hanuman.
"But see the misfortune that when I have come to pay my respect to Hanuman's land, at the same time, the Congress in its manifesto has decided to lock up Lord Hanuman.
"Initially, they locked up Prabhu Shri Ram (Lord Ram). And now they want to lock up people who say ‘Jai Bajrang Bali'," the prime minister said.
"It is the misfortune of the country that the Congress had a problem with Prabhu Shri Ram and now it has a problem with the people who say 'Jai Bajrang Bali'," he added.
The BJP has accused successive Congress governments of creating hindrances in the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Bajrang Dal is a right-wing Hindu outfit and has often courted controversies over vigilante action. Bajrang is another name for Lord Hanuman and the outfit's insignia's carries the picture of the deity.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said it is shameful that the prime minister has drawn such a parallel that is an insult to crores of devotees of Lord Hanuman.
"The prime minister is insulting our faith in Lord Hanuman. He should apologise to the country as he has hurt our religious sentiments. No one has given the prime minister the right to insult Bajrang Bali," he told reporters.
The BJP said the Congress has come up with the "inauspicious thought" of banning Bajrang Dal on a Tuesday, which is considered an auspicious day to worship Lord Hanuman.
“This is not new for the Congress as chanting of Jai Sri Ram appears to it as communal politics,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
"This is audacious and the height of appeasement politics. This is the Congress' attempt to save PFI by insulting Lord Hanuman... Lord Hanuman is the pride of Karnataka. Karnataka is the land of Lord Hanuman and Congress has insulted our lord,” he said at a press conference in Delhi.
In a video message, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said the Bajrang Dal will take the Congress' poll promise to ban it as a challenge and give a reply to the party in "democratic ways".
"While releasing its manifesto for the Karnataka polls, the way the Congress has compared the Bajrang Dal, a nationalist organisation, with the PFI, an infamous anti-national, terrorist and banned organisation, is unfortunate," he said.
Every member of the Bajrang Dal is "dedicated" to serving the country and society while the entire world is aware of the activities of the PFI, Jain said.
"You cannot deceive the people of the country, (senior Congress leader) Sonia Gandhi....We do not dabble in politics.
"But you want to drag us into politics. Then, we would like to respond to you in that arena also and we will not let your wrong intentions be fulfilled," the VHP general secretary said.
" People like you had staged demonstrations on streets protesting the ban on SIMI. When you are talking about a ban on Bajrang Dal, your hidden agenda has come out in the open," Jain charged.
The manifesto -- 'Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota' (Peaceful garden of all communities) -- was released by Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of the state unit chief D K Shivakumar and CLP leader Siddaramaiah
Among others, the opposition party reiterated its five guarantees -- 'Gruha Jyothi', 'Gruha Lakshmi', 'Anna Bhagya', 'Yuva Nidhi' and 'Shakti'.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)