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Ex-CM Bommai dares Congress to ban RSS and Bajrang Dal in Karnataka

Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Friday challenged the Congress government in Karnataka to impose a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal.

Published on: May 27, 2023, 11:00:03 IST
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Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Friday challenged the Congress government in Karnataka to impose a ban on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal. Alleging that the Congress was pursuing 'politics of vengeance', he said those who ever tried to ban RSS were sent home packing.

Former Karnataka CM Bommai. (HT_PRINT)
Former Karnataka CM Bommai. (HT_PRINT)

Bommai was reacting to Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge’s purported statement that the government will not hesitate to ban RSS and Bajrang Dal if they disturb peace in the state. Keeping aside all its promises, the Congress has started pursuing the politics of vengeance. It appears that politics of vengeance is more on the agenda than the development of the state, the former CM told reporters here.

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“They are talking about banning RSS and Bajrang Dal. Whom are they telling this? Please try it. I am challenging them. They don’t have powers to ban any organisation. It’s the prerogative of the Centre, which does it after seeking the opinion of all the states,” Bommai pointed out.

On the one hand, the Congress ministers were giving such statements to please a section of its voters, while on the other, they were trying to threaten those who believed in this ideology, he alleged. Bommai charged the Congress with 'misleading' those it was trying to appease and said it does not have power to do so.

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“I ask Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to spell out your intention clearly with regard to banning RSS or Bajrang Dal. Will you support your cabinet colleagues or disagree with them? You must tell the people of the state clearly,” he said. According to the BJP MLA, RSS is an organisation which built the nation. It has put out in public its policies and principles and preparing youth for it for the past 75 years.

“Nobody can ban RSS. All such attempts in the past failed. Those who dared to ban it were sent home,” he claimed.

  • Yamini C S
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yamini C S

    Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More