The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other right-wing organisations intensified their attack on the Congress over its manifesto for Karnataka Assembly elections in which it has pledged to ban organisations like Bajrang Dal. Linking the proposed ban on Bajrang Dal with alleged disrespect of Lord Hanuman, BJP workers on Friday gathered outside the Congress party office in Hyderabad to recite Hanuman Chalisa but were detained by the police.
The Congress party, meanwhile, appeared to go on the defensive to mitigate any potential damage from its manifesto promise to ban Bajrang Dal in Karnataka, with Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar doing a temple run at Chamundi Hill in Mysuru, and promising to build more Hanuman temples or renovate the existing ones all over the state.
“The temples of Lord Rama’s escort Anjaneya (Hanuman) are everywhere. We have constructed Anjaneya temples, and we too are his devotees, especially we Kannadigas in this state, where there is evidence to show that Anjaneya was born here,” Shivakumar, who is contesting the election from Kanakapura constituency in Ramanagara, told reporters.
Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Veerappa Moily said there was no suggestion before the party to ban the Bajrang Dal. Addressing reporters in Udupi, Moily also said that state governments did not have the right to ban such organisations.
“The BJP, which now adores Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, forgets that Patel had banned the RSS at one juncture,” he said, adding that Jawaharlal Nehru later revoked the decision. “The Supreme Court’s stand over hate politics is very clear. We had made the statement in our manifesto as a part of it. But we have no intention of banning Bajrang Dal. KPCC president D K Shivakumar has made it clear today.”
{{/usCountry}}“The BJP, which now adores Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, forgets that Patel had banned the RSS at one juncture,” he said, adding that Jawaharlal Nehru later revoked the decision. “The Supreme Court’s stand over hate politics is very clear. We had made the statement in our manifesto as a part of it. But we have no intention of banning Bajrang Dal. KPCC president D K Shivakumar has made it clear today.”
{{/usCountry}}BJP turncoat Jagadish Shettar echoed Moily and said the party should not restrict itself to this issue. When asked about his stand on banning Bajrang Dal, the former Karnataka chief minister said, “Banning any organization is the power of the central government, not the state government. Veerappa Moily clarified that there is no question of banning Bajrang Dal.”
Reacting to Shettar's remarks, All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, 'So No BAN it was only a “JUMLA” to deceive voters once again Chamchas have been proven wrong."
(With ANI inputs)