A Punjab’s Sangrur Court on Monday summoned Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on July 10 in connection with the party’s Karnataka Assembly election manifesto, which equated the banned Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) with Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Sangh-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
The Congress President was summoned by the Sangrur district court after a complaint filed by Hitesh Bhardwaj, president of the “Bajrang Dal Hindustan.”
During the recently finished Karnataka assembly elections, the Congress linked Bajrang Dal to “anti-national organisations like SIMI and Al-Qaeda,” according to the petitioner.
In its manifesto, the Congress committed to ban organisations that promote “enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities.”
“The Congress Party pledges to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations that incite hatred among communities based on caste or religion. We believe that law and the Constitution are sacred and cannot be violated by individuals and organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI, or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities,” the Congress manifesto, titled ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’ (peaceful garden of all communities), read, adding that if elected to power in the state, the party will take ‘decisive action,’ including banning them.
Outgoing Karnataka minister CN Ashwathnarayan, who retained his seat in the Malleshwaram constituency, challenged the Congress on election day to ban the Bajrang Dal, which is frequently associated with vigilantism, violence, and moral policing.
“How dare they suggest banning Bajrang Dal. Allow them to try. We’ll show you what we’re capable of,” he stated.
The Congress, on the other hand, was obliged to clarify their commitment following a major backlash from BJP leaders, including public taunts at electoral rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to PM Modi, the Congress has decided to “lock up” Bajrang Bali worshippers and has urged people to scream “Jai Bajrangbali” and punish those who “abuse culture.”
The old party, which later won a landslide victory in Karnataka, winning 135 of the total 224 Assembly seats, had stated that it had “no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal” because banning an organization like it came under the central government.
However, the party retaliated against the Prime Minister, accusing him of “hurting religious sentiments” of devotees by comparing Lord Hanuman with the Bajrang Dal and demanding an apology from him.
Soon after it became evident that the Congress was going to win easily, party activists mocked the BJP and the right wing by showing up at party officers dressed as Bajrangbali Hanuman.
“Bajrangbali BJP ke nahi Congress ke sath hain… Bajrang Bali ne BJP par fine lagaya hai,” One of the volunteers, dressed in a Hanuman costume, stated.
