Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 highlights: Cong's Pawan Khera attacks BJP over row on Bajrang Dal ban

In a response to Karnataka Congress manifesto promising to ban Bajrang Dal if voted to power, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday alleged that the Congress party has been trying to divide the country in the name of religion.

He told ANI, “Congress party is trying to divide people of the country on the basis of religion for votes. This is wrong. Congress taking such decisions would negatively impact the nation. So I request the people of Karnataka to reject Congress and teach them a lesson.” 

Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar was seen along with former CM Siddaramaiah at a road show in his Varuna constituency. Siddaramaiah even thanked Shiva Rajkumar for extending his support to him in the elections. 

Siddaramaiah tweeted, "In the road show held today in Rampur, Malur, Godwanpur, Tandavapur of Varuna Constituency, the people turned out in huge numbers and joined in Sagaropadi. If you see the passion and enthusiasm of the people, it is confirmed that they will vote for me with a record number of votes. Hat-trick hero Shiva Rajkumar, his wife and late S. Bangarappa's daughter Geeta Shivaraj Kumar and young actress Nishvika Naidu graced the road show.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she would be happy if BJP’s “downfall” starts with the Karnataka Assembly polls, which is scheduled to be held on May 10.

She said, “The earlier BJP is voted out of power, the better it is for the nation. Don't vote for BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls; vote for any other party you like. I would be happy if BJP's downfall starts with Karnataka.” 

Congress leader and former CM Veerappa Moily claimed that there no proposal to ban Bajarang Dal in the state. He said, “I was the law minister of the state and I can tell you that a state government cannot ban Bajarang Dal. Also, there is no proposal to ban Bajarang Dal. We only mean to say that organizations like PFI and Bajarang Dal are disturbing law and order in the state. DK Shivakumar will soon clarify about it.”

Congress leader and KPCC president DK Shivakumar has announced that a new Hanuman temples will be constructed in the state of the party is voted to the power. 

He said, “Our party is committed to develop the Hanuman temples across the state, after coming to the power. The Congress government will also construct the new Hanuman temples in various places of Karnataka and prioritise the development of temples.” 

Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Thursday spoke to reporters over the ongoing row on the party's manifesto, which proposed a ban on organisations like the Bajrang Dal. 

"We haven't said we'll ban Bajrang Dal. We said organisations like PFI, Bajrang Dal disrupt peace in society. I was a law minister in Karnataka, state government can't do it, even Bajrang Dal can't be banned by state government, DK Shivakumar will give clarification about it, there was no such proposal before us," he said.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke to reporters in Belagavi and said, "Karnataka is with PM Modi. In this nation, who will accept it if someone says that we will ban Bajrang Dal? How can they ban those who think for betterment of the country? Bajrang Dal has never done any anti-national activity. If you will talk about banning Bajrang Dal then all the Bajrangi who have blessings of lord Hanuman will show Congress its place."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday mounted attacks on BJP in Karnataka's Kanakagiri. “BJP government is in power for 3 years. Whenever there is a new government it tries to create a new identity…. isn’t it sad and shameful that Karnataka BJP is known as “40% Sarkar”? This name was not given by any party, but was given by the contractors who were forced to commit suicide," she said.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his Karnataka elections campaign pitch stressing on stable governments, alleging that the BJP-led dispensations in the state after the 2018 polls were born out of ‘deceit, horse-trading and money power.’ 

He tweeted, "Hon'ble PM has appealed to vote for the BJP to provide stable governments in Karnataka. After the 2018 general elections to the Karnataka state assembly, the state has witnessed four governments. Some stability! BJP-led governments were not voted to power by the people. They were born out of deceit, horse-trading and money power' 

Union minister Shobha Karandlaje announced that she along with her supporters and the members of Bajarang Dal will be reciting Hanuman Chalisa at a temple in Bengaluru's Malleshwaram on Thursday. 

She said, "The Congress, by all means has insulted the devotees of lord Hanuman by announcing a ban on Bajarang Dal in thier manifesto. The BJP and the Hanuman devotees will not let that happen and as a mark of protest against Congress manifesto, I will be reciting Hanuman Chalisa in Malleshwaram temple today. There will be lot of devotees and the members of Bajarang Dal present in the temple. 

Pawan Khera, the Chairman of the AICC's Media and Publicity Department, on Thursday held a press conference at the KPCC office in Bengaluru and attacked the ruling BJP over the row on the grand old party's manifesto, which vowed to ban organisations such as the Bajrang Dal. 

“Modiji is chanting the name of Bajrangbali everywhere he goes. If they (BJP) cared about Bajrangbali, why couldn't they even constitute a committee for the development of the Anjanadri hill near Hampi, which is believed to be the birthplace of lord Hanuman?” he questioned.

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday spoke about the recent controversy over the Congress' manifesto for the assembly polls and said, “We fight elections based on our programs, they fight elections on their promises. It is not right to stir up caste, religion and communal sentiments unnecessarily in elections, this shows the appeasement politics of Congress. The Congress party today is in the grip of SDPI and PFI, and it cannot get out of it.”

Groups like the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal recited the Hanuman Chalisa in Vijayanagar area in a protest against the Congress party's recently-released manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka elections.

BJP leader and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje spoke to reporters on Wednesday and said party leaders will recite the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ on Thursday evening at 7 pm across Karnataka.

This comes after the Congress party vowed to ban organisations like the Bajrang dal in their recently-released poll manifesto.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the BJP while addressing the public in Kalaburagi, saying, “These people (BJP) made their image as '40% Sarkara' in last three years. Entire Karnataka knows, contractors and farmers committed suicide while crores of cash were recovered from MLA's son's home and that MLA takes out parade, there's ‘jhoot and loot’.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during an election campaign on Wednesday hit out at PM Modi's “dream to make Karnataka the number one state”, and said, “Modiji said he saw a dream that he'll make Karnataka the most developed state...it was his BJP govt that looted Karnataka. When there was loot, was the PM dreaming, what was he doing?”